TRIO AVIONICS PRO-PILOT A/P

[dcflyer84]

Originally Posted by FORANE

Yes, I know my gain settings, but my installs were not in a -10 and likely would not assist in any way.
Guessing you are following this install manual for adjusting the gains:
https://www.trioavionics.com/Pro%20P...nual%204.1.pdf
Trio has updated the firmware on these recently. You might check with them to confirm you have the latest. One of the changes added a gain setting...

Adjusting gains can be very frustrating. I spent months trying to get a GMC507/G5 gains set before throwing in the towel and removing it.

Thanks, FORANE. I am using the manual and Trio just had my controller so the firmware should be up to date. I figured your Lancairs are pretty similar in performance and control sensitivity so your settings would make comparative data points.

[BobTurner]

Originally Posted by FORANE

. Even with the Trio, my results are not like a train track as Bob Turner reports; rather, it is optimized.

Perhaps I?m just lucky, but yes, my TT could not be better. I?ve been trying to follow SIP rules here in my county but when I get to the hangar I?ll look for my settings. Of course, I use a GRT when in the ?efis-controlled? mode, so your Garmin settings won?t match mine.

[FORANE]

Originally Posted by BobTurner

I use a GRT when in the ?efis-controlled? mode

I too have a GRT HX in the plane. Didn't wire the Trio through it as I never use its flight plan functions. Apart from the ARINC source and functionality, do the GRT gain settings improve performance of the Trio (pitch and roll performance more stable / accurate)?

[BobTurner]

Originally Posted by FORANE

I too have a GRT HX in the plane. Didn't wire the Trio through it as I never use its flight plan functions. Apart from the ARINC source and functionality, do the GRT gain settings improve performance of the Trio (pitch and roll performance more stable / accurate)?

It?s hard to say, as they are both very good. To be honest, I haven?t really tried the Trio in stand-alone mode in really challenging wx (turbulence). I do know (clear air turbulence) that the ?g-sensor/autopilot release? function works (!). Quite honestly I feel the Hx interface is superior, more functionality (ILS, VOR approaches; heading mode if given vectors). And easy to use.

[BobTurner]

Okay, I have retrieved my Trio notes. I’ll list my settings below. But note, they may be specific to my servo installation, which I think was pretty much by the book. BTW, some autopilot problems may be mechanical. Make sure there is no free play in any of the linkages in/to the control system. Make sure the servo mounts are strong enough that they don’t flex.
So I have a Trio Pro with programable autotrim. Last firmware update was July 2011. Under preferences, I have: Hnav gain Trk=3, CRS=3, PI=9; Hnav servo gain=16; Vnav servo ALT HLD=30, VS=35, AS=30; VNav servo DB=6.
For what it’s worth, here are my HX settings:
Turn antic 3.0; output normal; XT gain=50%; heading gain=200%; alt hold=100%; vert speed gain=100%; airspeed gain=100%; VOR gain=150%. Anything not mentioned was set to 100%.
Edit, sorry, my original notes were from home. Now corrected for the actual numbers off the Hx.
Edit, forgot to say, RV-10. Settings may be different in different aircraft.

[A2022]

my Trio EZ pilot settings: course = 3, track =5, pull in = 15, course rate turn = 3 deg / sec.

edit: pull in later adjusted to 11.

[Untainted123]

Thread resurrection: I have a Trio Pro Pilot in my RV-6 that I recently (Oct, Nov 2021) had upgraded to the GPSS/GPVS option. It is an older model, so they couldn't give me the option to interface with my G5 (something about the motors being PWM or not PWM, I can't remember).

Anyway, I have reinstalled it, and wired it to the ARINC from my 400w and all that, and it mostly works. It seems to work pretty solid in horizontal navigation, but I cannot seem to find any combination of gain settings that make it reliable for vertical navigation. I sort of got it close enough to work for altitude hold, but only if I monitor it and not let it get out of hand. If I just let it do it's thing, it will oscillate bigger and bigger until you are on a rollercoaster, and hopefully you don't get seasick or your lunch is coming up.

Chuck from Trio sent me a document that was supposed to be a little more detailed about dialing it in, which I used, but I would change a setting, try it: ok, that was worse, go the other way. Nope, that was worse too, go back the other way, but more, but less, but a lot more, but only a little etc, nothing seemed to want to dial it in.

For vertical speed or altitude select, I don't trust it at all; as soon as you tell it to go, it feels like it wants to kill you. I have checked the servo direction on the ground by the book, that all seems correct, and the center points seem correct. But in flight, anything to do with vertical navigation is scary, and I have stopped using it, and for sure wouldn't trust it to handle any portion of the vertical descent on an approach. When an approach is active, I do get both blue lights, indicating it's getting ARINC data from the GPS, so it knows what it needs to do.

Does anyone have their settings for a Trio Pro pilot on an RV-6? Also, I do not have electric trim, so I am not sure if that is the deal or not. I would love to have this thing working on rails like some of the other posts here. Any other suggestions welcome, it's been bugging me for a while, but I haven't had a chance to get back to it.

[steveahler]

Have just installed Trio Pro in my RV-6. What a wonderful addition.
It took me longer to install than a pro. But the reason I did is because I could find no one to do it.
I must say it was tough for a 75 yr old to get contorted enough to get the rudder servo installed.
But I did and it was worth it all. Great alt hold and heading hold. I am a believer in Trio.
Any questions call me. Not fast on my iPad.
Steve
509.520.7273 leave message and I’ll call back

[BobTurner]

Originally Posted by Untainted123

Thread resurrection: I have a Trio Pro Pilot in my RV-6 that I recently (Oct, Nov 2021) had upgraded to the GPSS/GPVS option. It is an older model, so they couldn't give me the option to interface with my G5 (something about the motors being PWM or not PWM, I can't remember).

Anyway, I have reinstalled it, and wired it to the ARINC from my 400w and all that, and it mostly works. It seems to work pretty solid in horizontal navigation, but I cannot seem to find any combination of gain settings that make it reliable for vertical navigation. I sort of got it close enough to work for altitude hold, but only if I monitor it and not let it get out of hand. If I just let it do it's thing, it will oscillate bigger and bigger until you are on a rollercoaster, and hopefully you don't get seasick or your lunch is coming up.

Chuck from Trio sent me a document that was supposed to be a little more detailed about dialing it in, which I used, but I would change a setting, try it: ok, that was worse, go the other way. Nope, that was worse too, go back the other way, but more, but less, but a lot more, but only a little etc, nothing seemed to want to dial it in.

I would start by watching your 400W on boot-up, and copy down the software version(s) it is running. Send these numbers to Trio, and ask if they are compatible with your Pro. This sounds like a software mis-match issue to me.

[FORANE]

Originally Posted by BobTurner

I would start by watching your 400W on boot-up, and copy down the software version(s) it is running. Send these numbers to Trio, and ask if they are compatible with your Pro. This sounds like a software mis-match issue to me.

Sure would be great if the fix was so simple. I don't think it is though. I installed a trio pro pilot in our RV 9a and the lancair. We have experienced stability trouble as described in both aircraft. In both cases I was unable to obtain acceptable results in climb or descent. In both cases I was able to obtain adequate results in altitude hold. The RV was much better than the lancair in altitude hold. The lancair has a 430w; the RV had a gtn650.

It would be nice if the manufacturer of autopilots would incorporate a computer capable of learning the control necessary based on efis data. It seems like they react to altitude excursions after the fact and fail to predict excursions based on vs and altitude relative to setpoint.

First thing I would do as untainted would be to make sure there isn't deadband in the elevator pushrod.