Anyone using this?

Ease of installation?

Comments?

Sure beats spending 900$ to get Autotrim

Just to adjust the record, The SV-AP-PANEL (which adds auto-trim) is $550 retail, not $900. If you can install the Makerplane device, you can install a SV-AP-PANEL purchased from anywhere yourself too.

Shazam..,,,,!

As much as I love my Skyview and Dynon, I am disappointed that Dynon doesn't offer an inexpensive / easy-to-install gadget that enables AP "auto-trim". I view cutting up my panel as a pain-in-the-tail cone.

I don't see myself using the expert mode that often, so I don't anticipate needing the knobs / buttons. I would like an Autotrim feature without spending 500$ or 900$. I love the skyview and everything that it offers and .... Dynons support system. I've used it a few times. Plus, as said before .... Cutting the panel is a pain in an already flying -12.

KALEWIS said:

I don't see myself using the expert mode that often, so I don't anticipate needing the knobs / buttons. I would like an Autotrim feature without spending 500$ or 900$. I love the skyview and everything that it offers and .... Dynons support system. I've used it a few times. Plus, as said before .... Cutting the panel is a pain in an already flying -12.

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Everyone of us has different requirements and interests so one size doesn't fit all. I found the expert mode somewhat confusing and more complicated to operate at first compared to the simple mode I was using all the time, but I'm growing to really like the ability to fine tune the AP controls for each phase of flight. Overkill for day VFR flying... absolutely. But so are a lot of the really neat features on the RV-12.

No auto-trim no big deal

At first these multiple requests to trim by the autopilot bothered me a lot. I have come to consider them more friends than pests: when you are under autopilot you don't really "feel" what's going on outside. In time I learned to take these requests to trim with a grain of salt. Some need to be obeyed some don't. If you misjudge which is which, no problem, you will be reminded until you act! What would be bad is let your autopilot deal with an untrimmed airplane for a long time but thanks to the pesky trim requests this should not happen. I have even come to wonder if the auto-trim, depending on how it operates by design, could over-stress the trim motor by constantly activating it in some conditions. One may argue that most larger airplanes are equipped with auto-trim but they are not as reactive to turbulence as LSAs.

WingedFrog said:

At first these multiple requests to trim by the autopilot bothered me a lot.

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Don't discount the feature of being able to disconnect your autopilot at pretty much any moment and have the plane already be very nearly, if not precisely, in trim.

I had the same dilemma when I did my panel. I decided however to use the Dynon panel because of all the additional features it provided for very little extra cost. After flying with it for a while I know I made the right decision for me. I have some of VX Aviation/Maker Plane components that I used in my build and find them to be of high quality and to work as advertised. No matter your choice Maker Plane or Dynon you can't go wrong unless you need factory support for troubleshooting.