[Bob Axsom]

My wire bundle routing under the seat to the left wing crossed through the area where the Pictorial Pilot Roll Servo needs be mounted. One option is to cut all of the wires, drill a new hole for a wire bushing, splice on a new segment to each wire, route them through the bushing in the new hole then splice that added segment to the other end of the cut interface. That was my initial dreaded solution but I came up with an alternate that made it better for me and it may help someone else who fell into the same trap as a result of trying to add on an autopilot after the plane is complete.

I added a 3/4" dia. hole at the new location. Pop the bushing out of the old hole; used a nibbler to cut a direct path from the new hole to the old one; use a file to smooth the edges and widen it enough to move the wires sideways to the new hole; pop the bushing into the new hole; use a file folder for material to make a pattern for a doubler to web the slot, reinforce the seat support bulkhead and secure the bushing into it's new location; pop rivet the doubler into place.

 

[redbeardmark]

Servo photo

Bob,
Do you have a photo of the mounted servo? I also did not plan for an autopilot and am beginning to think about one.
Mark

 

[Bob Axsom]

Not yet

My wife and I mounted the bracket last night (it is a two person task) and I haven't even had time to look at it. We are going out of town (United Airlines) and I will not get to work on it again seriously until next Tuesday. I will be there a couple of hours this afternoon - I will try to get something for you.

Bob Axsom

 

[Bob Axsom]

Here's What I Have

I soldered the wirws into the 9-pin D connector for the roll servo this afternoon and that is about all. I did lay the servo in the area where it will be mounted. There is some spacer hardware involved but basically there is a little push rod with rod end bearings that connects from the arm on the front of the servo to the bolt that connects the aileron pushrod to the control column. The pictorial Pilot mounts into the old Turn Coordinator hole. The electrical connections are Aircraft Power (+14Vdc), Aircraft Ground, the serial signal high output from a GPS (that was another tricky interface after the airplane is complete - an inline splice will work if you have this signal routed to a moving map already), an optional connection to the light dimmer (the wiper contact in my case, and the seven interface wires from the Pictorial Pilot display unit to the roll servo. I haven't used the unit yet but I did ride with Jim Younkin in his RV-9A and it appears to have the old turn coordinator function (including the inclinometer on the 3 inch display unit) plus a digital course/selection display. I am also installing the Altrak which requires a small button switch/annunciator with 4 wires (as I recall) in the panel. The controller and the pitch servo are back in the tail section aft of the elevator bellcrank. This should be easy to install on a completed aircraft and the function is very simple fly to a desired altitude and push the button - the light comes on and it holds the altitude for you until you push the button again to turn it off. I will be glad to avoid hearing ATC broadcast "Say altitude" while I take care of business with the charts etc.

Bob Axsom

 

[Bob Axsom]

Pictorial Pilot Roll Servo Installation

I finally got the Pictorial Pilot installation complete through a successful ground check. I had to shorten the pushrod about 1/4" and the shank on both rod end bearings about 3/16". The installation instructions warn you that the operation may be backward and which wires need to be switched if you have to do it - I did. The final ground check went well. It's a long shot but work continues on the Altrak for completion tomorrow (ha ha!).

 

[Bob Axsom]

Altrak Part

Well I didnt finish last night so no Young Eagles get to fly in the Blue Bird this morning up at Neosho, MO. Hopefully, I will get it done this morning in time for the Banquet with Dick Rutan as a speaker. It was sickening to drill though the painted bottom of the fuselage for three of the attach points. Here is the photo of the Controller module and the servo as I put them together the local wiring has since been completed at the Controller connector.

[I LATER DETERMINED THE SERVO SHOULD BE MOUNTED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNT PHOTOS LATER]
Bob Axsom

 

[Bob Axsom]

Altrak Servo & Controller Installed

Didn't make it for the trip to Neosho. But the Altrak controller and servo are located on the keel aft of the Elevator bellcrank. Looks good - almost done.

[I LATER DETERMINED THE SERVO SHOULD BE MOUNTED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNT PHOTOS LATER]

Bob Axsom

 

[redbeardmark]

Nice!

Nice work, Bob. That is really encouraging. I just might have to loosen the purse-strings a smidge and spend a few coins to do the same.

 

[Bob Axsom]

Altrak Servo in correct location/orientation

There are four different ways the servo can be installed and I chose one of the wrong ones. I caught it during the check before adding in the push rod. The servo is in the correct location but my interface wiring is too tight between the controller and the servo even though I provided a big service loop in the incorrect installation. I could just flip everything to a workable location but I need a little slack in the wiring. The controller will be mounted on the aft side of the previous mount location.

Bob Axsom

 

[Bob Axsom]

Done and Ground checks OK

After installing the servo, correctly, lengthening the small 22 ga controller/servo interconnect wires and testing everything checked out correctly except the annunciator lighting. It worked fine if I turned on the Nav lights. In the build process I saved a switch by applying power to the instruments when I turned on the Nav lights. That works fine except the Altrak installation instructions don't take that into consideration when they say to connect the aircraft dimmer output to the annunciator resistor circuit. I rewired it with the alternate manual dimmer switch circuit (select 6.8K Ohms - dim, or 470 Ohms - bright) that works fine.
The End.

Bob Axsom

 

[Bob Axsom]

Flight tested today

Everything works very well. Altitude held within 40 ft despite chop over the Ozarks. Course appeared to be perfect with GPS serial input. I did not try the magnetometer mode by shutting down the GPS (SL-60).

Bob Axsom