[KatieB]

I'm working on an improved manual for setting up the GRT Autopilot. If you fly one, you know there are several different gain settings to be fine-tuned during testing. While this is the reason the autopilot can perform so well in so many different types of airplanes, it can be frustrating to get just right. I'd like to study as many sets of flying GRT A/P gain settings as possible to see how systems are set up in various types of aircraft, then publish a list of aircraft-specific suggested starting values for the gain settings.

If you'd like to help, please save your EFIS settings to a USB stick. (instructions found here) The file name will be SETTINGS.BAK.

Email me the settings file along with:

Airplane Type (kit mfr/model)
Engine Type & Horsepower
Propeller Type (fixed or c/s)
Flying preference- Snappy or relaxed?
Do you shoot IFR approaches on a/p? Y/N
If so, what brand/model VOR/LOC receiver do you use?
Do you like the performance of your GRT autopilot at these settings? Y/N
(optional) What is your biggest complaint about the GRT A/P?
(optional) What do you like best about it?

The most important question in that list is airplane type. However, the more data I can gather with each settings file, the more meaningful it will be.

Thank you for your help!

(This post is repeated in the Autopilot section of this forum as well as our own GRT Forum.)

 

[KatieB]

Just a reminder (shameless begging?) for those of you flying the GRT Autopilot, if you go flying or visit the airplane this weekend, I'd love to get a copy of your EFIS settings. Several people have sent me theirs, and it's interesting so far! Answers to their "biggest complaint" about the a/p may have been quickly evident in their gain settings. We'll find out next time they fly... (which could be a while for Kahuna, as his engine rebuild project develops!) If something in the numbers jumps out at me, I'll send you suggestions, too.

katieb at grtavionics dot com...

Thanks!!

 

[bobair43]

grt autopilot settings

I am currently having problems with my auto pilot even in heading mode..
When I first started to fly it was on the default settings it seemed to do well.
On 430 course flight plan it also seemed to do well. But every once in a while it would lose its mind and go off course and not come back. On getting tech help the suggestion was to try increasing cross track gain. This did not work. So I started square one with heading gain and everything back to default. I started left and right turns and now actually having problems following these commands every so often it looses its mind and turns incorrectly. Sometimes I feel the stick clicking in both directions like it doesn't know where to go. I have sent recordings in for tech help and the feeling I get is that (no name) thinks it is an operator problem. On the ground the stik moves stop to stop ok. I used flight director and witnessed it indicating a need for a turn to the right and it started a bank left. Ill keep flying and working only with heading but I think Im stuck. I thought the record mode could show exactly what took place.

 

[KatieB]

Hi Bob,

I'm sorry you're having trouble-- I remember the guys discussing your situation and trying to figure it out.

Send me your email address (to [email protected]) and I'll send you the draft of the new autopilot manual when I get back to the office Monday morning. It will help you run through some steps to check everything from servo installation, EFIS settings, flight testing, and servo software updates. If you go through all that and it's still acting weird, we'll have to dig deeper into servo wiring or software...

 

[bobair43]

autopilot

Thanks my Email is( [email protected]) Today I flew from kvay to MASSY MARYLAND MD1. Set a course in both my 496 (gps 2) and my garmin 430 (gps1). But flew the course heading alt only. There was only one turn about 30 deg. The autopilot performed ok. On my way back decided to try gps1 gnav at first it turned on course ok !!! But when we got to the only turn in the flight plan problems. The turn was about 30deg. I could see the dashes on the 430 cutting the turn. The plane started a left bank at the right time and looked like it might level on course. But instead the stick started clicking and tried to continue to the left. I thought it might come back but it did not. I even tried to help the stick but it kept clicking. I sent a recording in showing a similar problem. I feel it looks like a servo problem I thought the recordings would show this. But thanks If you send me settings I will use them and continue flying the auto pilot to see if I can get this resolved.