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The hang on for the ride unit you heard about was likely the Navaid. It has gone by the wayside in favor for more reliable and accurate solid state units.

Without getting into all the gee whiz feature comparisons, my vote is for the Trio Avionics EZ Pilot. . Simple to install, very effective, terrific feature set and price point. I have units in 2 rv's and you will have to pry them from my dead body.

The roll axis unit has been on the market for a while and is now well refined. The pitch axis unit is just getting on line and promises to be a great unit. I have them both in my 8. I am particularly looking fwd to the advanced feature set under development which includes vert speed and alt. pre-select.

If you search this archive and the rv-list, you will see lots of various opinions.
Good luck on your search.
Best :D
 
Tru Trak

I have Pictorial Pilot for course control and Altrak for altitude hold in my RV-6A. Awesome! Whenever you put an autopilot in your airplane you do have to know how to use it but there have been no surprises for me. I have no idea what the current cost, capability or availability exists in the market today. It seems to be rapidly improving but that's an outsider's view.

Bob Axsom
 
The Trio EZ-Pilot & TruTrak auto-pilots both work well, and have very reasonable prices. Both use a GPS for heading guidence. You can even buy one of each brand to make up a two-axis system if desired.
 
What capabilities do you want or need? Do you just want a wing leveler or a full approach-capable model?

I have a TruTrak A/P in my Rocket and it is just awsome. The servos are sturdy, the instructions clear, and it's operation impeccable. I also like the trade-up feature that TruTrak has. I can trade up to a more functional model for just the price difference.
 
There's no doubt that RV's are more sensitive to pitch than boat anchors like Cessnas and Pipers. That's what makes these airplanes so enjoyable to fly. I don't have an IFR rating yet, but am seriously considering it. I think an A/P would certainly reduce your IFR workload since you can bust altitude pretty quickly. There are a number of folks who fly IFR in RVs without an A/P so it can and is done. I just enjoy mine so that I can take a pee break or fold a map without swerving all over the place.
 
If you want to have an EFIS in your cockpit, be sure to look into how easily the autopilot talks to it.

I went with TruTrak because I'm using the Grand Rapids EFIS. They play very well together.

Also, I love the TT trade up feature.
 
Give Jerry Hansen at Trio a call. He is very enthusiastic about the Trio products and is a pleasure to speak with. I ordered a wing leveler from him for my RV-8 and was very impressed with the product, packaging and documentation. I have not flown my ship yet, so I have no direct experience in this area. Like so many things in business, for me, it was a matter of relationships. I felt like I could trust Trio.
Tinman
 
Trio

tinman said:
Give Jerry Hansen at Trio a call. He is very enthusiastic about the Trio products and is a pleasure to speak with. I ordered a wing leveler from him for my RV-8 and was very impressed with the product, packaging and documentation. I have not flown my ship yet, so I have no direct experience in this area. Like so many things in business, for me, it was a matter of relationships. I felt like I could trust Trio.
Tinman
Click to expand...
I agree. I have a Trio EZ Pilot. The Trio guys are great, as is the product. I've also heard great things about TT products and their team. It seems you'll be happy with either product. This is one of those fabulous areas where we have two excellent product families competing for our business. That's the way it's supposed to work!
 
TT control drag

I have a NavAid. Great gets the job done, but if I was buying I would go with the two contenders.

However I have a question. I am familiar with the Trio servo since it is really a NavAid autopilot servo. The servo uses a "clutch" (really gear drive mechanically disengages the primary and secondary gear train), so it can free wheels (i.e., no drag when not engaged).

The TT uses a step motor and has some "drag" so I was told. IS THAT TRUE?

George
 
APs

Having owned Century and Stec, it was a relief (financially) when I purchased the True Trak for my 10. I did some reseach, and the TT was the most desirable. Someone mentioned the stepper motors in their servos, these are the state of the art. Brushless and nearly indestructable as compared to brush motor. the S Tec in my old Arrow was an excellent unit, overshadowing the Century, until I had to replace a servo motor, for the paltry sum of $750. Life, 500hrs.
In my home work, conversation with TT was how much are their servo motors, they admited about $100. In the conversation centering around servo life, I came away that they have yet to replace one. This is true of stepper motors. One other feature of the TT was GPS steering feature, which anticipates an up comimg turn rather than overshooting it.
I'm perhaps being a little unfair about Trio, but after waiting for three days, I thought they were not interested, They did E mail 5 days later.
N968TP
T88
 
autopilot search

I am also looking to put an AP in my RV9. The EZ and the TT look good but I keep going back to the Blue Mountain, they have efis with AP as a combo (lot of features,good price).
 
Yes

gmcjetpilot said:
However I have a question. I am familiar with the Trio servo since it is really a NavAid autopilot servo. The servo uses a "clutch" (really gear drive mechanically disengages the primary and secondary gear train), so it can free wheels (i.e., no drag when not engaged).

The TT uses a step motor and has some "drag" so I was told. IS THAT TRUE?

George
Click to expand...

Yes.
Also (I think) the trio can be purchased with their new servo(not the NavAid) which has 'some drag'.
I have both.
 
Can you override the servo?

I was talking to a friend who recently got his 7 flying and we were talking about his Tru-track A/P. He mentioned than you can't override the Tru-track servo without disengaging it. Instead, it has a fusible link or something that blows if you force it hard enough. I suppose it has something to do with the stepper motor design.

That's probably something to consider if your making your choice. Personally, it would concern me.
 
gmcjetpilot said:
The TT uses a step motor and has some "drag" so I was told. IS THAT TRUE?
Click to expand...
Yes, the TT website says the residual torque is 1.2 inlb for an RV type servo, rising to 2.4 inlb for their largest servo. They also have a new design - used on Global Flyer - that disconnects completely.

I'm planning on installing a TT ADI pilot 1 or 2.

Pete
 
How to prepare for an autopilot?

Questions - assuming an autopilot will eventually be installed, what trim options should be built into the plane? Electric or manual or none at all? Any special access panels or mount plates that should be built in?
An autopilot is a ways in my future, but Monday I'm going to Van's to order a wing kit and pick up parts to convert a -6 tail to a -7. Unless there's good reason to go electric, I'm going with manual elevator trim. Any recommendations on aileron and/or rudder trim?
Thanks!
-Johnny
'06 is finally the year that I start pounding rivets!
 
Manual pitch trim no change with AP

I flew my RV-6A for around 15 hours in IMC befor I put in the TruTrak autopilot (Pictorial Pilot and Altrak) I have manual pitch trim and the little lever operated spring tension change device that Van sells for fuel imbalance compensation. I almost never get the fuel burn out of balance enough to require the "aileron trim spring offset" usage but when I have it works suprisingly well. I did not change anything when I installed the two autopilot systems. The performance has been spectacular. I have never had the plane so out of balance from fuel burn that Pictorial Pilot could not fly the course I dialed in. I have been out of trim far enough in pitch that the ALT warning light flashed to tell me about it. I have moved the stick with the autopilot engaged and I get a thumping objection from the servo but the plane goes where I tell it to go. The thumping objection is strong enough that you cannot ignore it and I either hit the disengage button and fly the plane or I dial in the course I want the plane to fly and let it do the flying. Typically I only engage the autopilot when I have a task I need to take care of or I am flying IFR but I always try to have it on because the digital display of my course is so good and accurate, plus it is always ready if I have a demanding task come up.

Bob Axsom
 
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My votes for the true trak

Most autopilots require that you're close to straight and level when you activate them. The TruTrak doesn't. You can hit it if all else fails and if you're not in some totally ridiculous configuration, it'll save your bacon. I know that lots of other AP's don't do this, although some must. That's my understanding of it, anyhow.
 
jonbakerok said:
I was talking to a friend who recently got his 7 flying and we were talking about his Tru-track A/P. He mentioned than you can't override the Tru-track servo without disengaging it. Instead, it has a fusible link or something that blows if you force it hard enough. I suppose it has something to do with the stepper motor design.

That's probably something to consider if your making your choice. Personally, it would concern me.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid your friend is somewhat mis-informed. It's quite easy to over-ride the trutrak servo if you want. Even when I have my autopilot on, I frequently bank the airplane over to look at something (although the TruTrak let's me know I'm doing it), and then it returns me to where it was supposed to go to begin with. You can do this with both the altitude servo and roll servo....just grab the stick and steer. If you don't disconnect the AP, it will try to get you back to where it wants to be and works against you, but it's not "impossible" to over-ride it as eluded to above.

You can adjust the torque on your servo to your liking on the controler on a scale from 1-12. If you really get mean with it you can shear a pin in it, but that most likely won't happen.

Yes it's true servo won't officially dis-engange until you hit the "disengage button", but then that's true with almost every autopilot made even in a bunch of the airliners (hence the AP disconnect being in a handy spot)...

Just my 2 cents as usual!

Cheers,
Stein.
 
gmcjetpilot said:
I have a NavAid. Great gets the job done, but if I was buying I would go with the two contenders.

However I have a question. I am familiar with the Trio servo since it is really a NavAid autopilot servo. The servo uses a "clutch" (really gear drive mechanically disengages the primary and secondary gear train), so it can free wheels (i.e., no drag when not engaged).

The TT uses a step motor and has some "drag" so I was told. IS THAT TRUE?

George
Click to expand...


If I'm reading the info right, depending on the TruTrak servo used, the residual torque will be from 0 to 2.4 "in lbs" (almost not noticeable even in the worst case)!
See http://www.trutrakflightsystems.com/ttfsinformation.html

Roy C Lewis Jr
RV8QB
 
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