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Aligning autopilot and elevator linkage

R

rvdave

Well Known Member
Not sure if this would be the place to post since it may be a TruTrak issue but since their forum is inactive I'll try here since it is an Rv10 in progress. In the process of wiring AFS efis, ViZion AP in my 10 at ap turn on the servo goes immediately to about stick forward 1 inch approx or nose down. Since I've never had a vertical axis ap, how do I align the linkage or adjust servo so at turn on the servo doesn't jump to nose down immediately? I believe there was a step when installing servo to align triangle so the vertical portion was at zero degrees? So I'm not sure if I need to adjust elevator/servo linkage or should there be a "zeroing" adjustment on ap?

Dave Ford
Cadillac , Mi
 
When you turn the AP on the servos should grab their current position, but shouldn't move immediately. If they are set to climb/descent or turn, they will start putting in small inputs in that direction. It should not do an immediate change. A call to Lucas should help, but it shouldn't have anything to do with he linkage. Send me a picture of your install and I'll let you know if anything looks like it might be causing that.
 
No it hasn't, would that be an issue for initial install, non movement of airframe? It's almost like it always "remembers" that starting point of down elevator and goes to that point even if I hold back stick and turn on ap.

Dave Ford
Cadillac, Mi
 
That shouldn't make a difference, I don't think. I've never seen what you are describing, and I've installed a lot of AFS screens with TruTrak autopilots.
 
I will get some photos today so you can see what I have set up and see if all is well or not.

Dave Ford
Cadillac, Mi
 
It made a difference with mine. I am making the assumption that you engaged the AP. If that's the case, I did the same thing before everything was calibrated and my stick moved full forward and right when I engaged it to test. Once the ADAHARS/Magnetometer are calibrated, you can sit in the plane and test the AP functions by changing the heading and altitude inputs. You use the triangular piece of aluminum supplied by Van's in your kit to adjust the aileron control linkage per the plans instructions. It doesn't matter if you have an AP servo or not. If the AP is engaging on its own when you power it up, then I think you have a wiring issue.
 
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You are correct that the ap is engaging the servo at turn on power, not sure why. It does disengage and engage from afs screen. Thought that was normal, I'll doublecheck wiring but haven't seen any significant settings yet other than gyro recenter which I haven't tried yet.
 
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Just went through the gyro set on the ap -- apparently re-centers internal gyros and that's what was causing the elevator down at turn on. Now when engaging it will hold current stick position. Not sure why ap servo engages at initial turn on though, is that normal for Trutrak?
 
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