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Auto Pilot

B

Bighorn

Member
Which Auto Pilot to buy ?

Have not yet bought an RV but looking at the RV8. Some do not have and Autopilot so
1) Which auto pilot is the best bang for the buck?

2) are they hard to put in after the build is done?

3) What can I expect to pay for the complete package installed and by who?


Thanks in advance
 
Last edited:
Installed three Trutraks in RV airframes

ADI II in RV-10, ADI II in RV-8A, and Vizion 385 in RV-6A --- 8A, and -6A were retrofits ---- installations were straightforward, took some time, required attention to detail, but were quite doable.

For cross-country, and IFR, an autopilot is very, very handy. (would not do much IFR without one)

Ron
 
Your simple question has a complicated answer.
If you already have an EFIS, that manufacturer may have an add-on the servos option. That is most likely the most cost effective path for VFR. But for IFR you need to also consider redundancy - if the main EFIS quits, is it okay to loose the autopilot too?
If you are looking for a stand-alone AP, both TruTrak and Trio make fine systems. Trio uses a slip clutch servo; TruTrak uses a shear pin design. TruTrak has a smaller control head so it doesn't take up as much panel space (may be important for a retro-fit); Trio's is larger and thus easier (IMHO) to use. So you have a lot to consider. For what it's worth, I went with a Trio Pro and am very happy with that choice. I like the auto-trim but that's only an option if your airplane has electric trim.
 
While I'm not in the air yet, but I did review both the TruTrak and Trio units. I agree with Bob that the Trio user interface seems more intuitive. I went with the TruTrak Vizion (or plan to) since I didn't have the panel space for the Trio. Both units have good user feedback and seem to be capable units.
 
BobTurner said:
Your simple question has a complicated answer.
If you already have an EFIS, that manufacturer may have an add-on the servos option. That is most likely the most cost effective path for VFR. But for IFR you need to also consider redundancy - if the main EFIS quits, is it okay to loose the autopilot too?
If you are looking for a stand-alone AP, both TruTrak and Trio make fine systems. Trio uses a slip clutch servo; TruTrak uses a shear pin design. TruTrak has a smaller control head so it doesn't take up as much panel space (may be important for a retro-fit); Trio's is larger and thus easier (IMHO) to use. So you have a lot to consider. For what it's worth, I went with a Trio Pro and am very happy with that choice. I like the auto-trim but that's only an option if your airplane has electric trim.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bob and yes you are correct, the question is a bit more complicated than I presented, however I looking at several planes and they are all abit different.

Thanks alot for your advise
 
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