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Mxsmanic
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 Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
Other comments welcome as well, of course.
--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail. |
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Is Mxsmanic a terrorist?
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: RE: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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MXMORON Wrote:
| Quote: | Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
Other comments welcome as well, of course.
|
And some follow-up questions:
1. Where to you keep your plane?
2. Do you lock your plane?
3. Where do you keep the keys?
4. Do you hide a key in case you forget yours
5. If so, where?
6. Do you use a proplock?
7. When, exactly, do you check on your plane?
Other information I can use to steal a plane welcome as well, of course. |
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Viperdoc
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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Although it's against my better judgment, it appears to be a reasonable
question, so here's my input.
Three axis autopilot with altitude hold. Use heading and nav mode the most,
approach mode as needed.
Use it all the time from 1000 feet AGL until entering the pattern. Use it
for all approaches- this is one time when the work load is the highest, and
it gives more time to check instruments, charts, and configure the plane.
Enroute used exclusively- makes planning, checking charts, communication,
much easier.
It is essential for safety, for the above reasons, along with less fatigue.
I have had an obvious failure of a servo enroute, and had to hand fly for
around six hours, including an ILS approach at an unfamilar airport to near
mins.
It is a critical item for a high performance plane.
In my opnion flying cross country is about getting to the destination as
rapidly as possible without challenges, anxiety, or problems. This involves
having as much airplane as one can afford that gives the maximal amount of
speed, systems redundancy, and capability.
Yes, it is still a lot of fun, and can be extremely challenging, but if I
want a real "flying" experience, I can go up and fly acro- there's nothing
like pulling or pushing g's for a real visceral experience and challenge.
Otherwise, it's autopilot on as much as possible.
"ZikZak" <ZXBWDNKFYBXA (AT) spammotel (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1178588675.246366.60790 (AT) e51g2000hsg (DOT) googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | On May 7, 6:22 pm, Mxsmanic <mxsma...@gmail.com> wrote:
Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many
axes/modes?
Yes, 3-axis and autotrim with heading, nav, and backcourse mode while
holding attitude, altitude, or glideslope.
2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what
conditions?
Enroute altitude mode, nav or heading.
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If
so,
what do you do differently?
Not really, I fly approaches manually since I don't fully trust the
autopilot's calibration.
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures?
Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
Sometimes it will track a degree or two off course. Fine for nav, but
less ok for approaches. It's switched off in the past also. It has not
compromised safety because I monitor it at all times.
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
Both. I'd be a lot more tired at the end of a long cross-country if I
had to hand-fly it the whole way.
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
Pretty much any time I'm doing something other than droning along on a
cross-country. Flying is supposed to be FUN! How much fun can it be
with the autopilot going all the time?
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ZikZak
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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On May 7, 6:22 pm, Mxsmanic <mxsma...@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
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Yes, 3-axis and autotrim with heading, nav, and backcourse mode while
holding attitude, altitude, or glideslope.
| Quote: | 2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
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Enroute altitude mode, nav or heading.
| Quote: | 3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
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Not really, I fly approaches manually since I don't fully trust the
autopilot's calibration.
| Quote: | 4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
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Sometimes it will track a degree or two off course. Fine for nav, but
less ok for approaches. It's switched off in the past also. It has not
compromised safety because I monitor it at all times.
| Quote: | 5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
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Both. I'd be a lot more tired at the end of a long cross-country if I
had to hand-fly it the whole way.
| Quote: | 6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
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Pretty much any time I'm doing something other than droning along on a
cross-country. Flying is supposed to be FUN! How much fun can it be
with the autopilot going all the time? |
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ZikZak
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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On May 7, 6:22 pm, Mxsmanic <mxsma...@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Other comments welcome as well, of course.
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You're not likely to find many "small GA aircraft" with RVSM or
autoland. |
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chris
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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On May 8, 1:22 pm, Mxsmanic <mxsma...@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
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Some of the aircraft I fly do have them. All are single axis. You can
select HDG to follow the bug or NAV to follow a VOR, and some other
modes I haven't tried. One apparently will follow the GPS but I
couldn't figure the GPS out last time I flew that plane. One of the
other club planes, a Twin Comanche has alt hold as well as hdg hold. I
think a couple of our planes have autopilot disconnect switches handy
to your left hand as well.
| Quote: | 2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
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HDG mode is all I have ever used, when I have trimmed it up and am on
track I sometimes set the autopilot up and sit back and relax.
| Quote: |
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
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N/A - don't fly IFR
| Quote: |
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
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Seems to work OK, just have to remember that if you decide to change
direction the control column will strongly resist you trying to turn
it. Apparently a sharp yank will disconnect autopilot but have not
tried that. Gives you a fright when you go to turn left and it won't
turn!!
| Quote: |
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
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Using autopilot I am more likely to fly straight along the track
rather than wobbling around like I normally do :)
| Quote: |
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
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I only use it for decent cross country flights, everything else,
including takeoff and landing I switch it off. |
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Mxsmanic
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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ZikZak writes:
| Quote: | You're not likely to find many "small GA aircraft" with RVSM or
autoland.
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True, but you never know. Someone might be flying a small and expensive jet,
for example.
--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail. |
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Paul kgyy
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:41 pm Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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On May 7, 8:22 pm, Mxsmanic <mxsma...@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
STEC 30 2 axis, but no climb/descent/glide slope
2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
GPS steering based on GPS flight plan - turn it on at cruise altitude after trimming level
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
Not really any different, unless sightseeing.
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
No failures, but I don't completely trust it - just keep an eye on it.
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
Big safety feature, especially when using the Little Red Bottle
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot? Sometimes turn it off to practice hand flying with accuracy.
Other comments welcome as well, of course.
--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail. |
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Thomas Borchert
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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ZikZak,
Yaw damper?
--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH) |
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Thomas Borchert
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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Viperdoc,
| Quote: | Three axis autopilot
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You have a yaw damper?
--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH) |
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Thomas Borchert
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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The questions make sense, so I'll answer. I'll then sit back and let the thread
deteriorate.
| Quote: | 1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
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Yes. S-TEC 50. Two axis, HDG, NAV, APP (no alt), GPSS
| Quote: | 2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
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GPSS and HDG with ALT in cruise, HDG and APP during approaches
| Quote: | 3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
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During IFR, it makes sense to use it for approaches. For VFR, it doesn't.
| Quote: | 4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
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I trust it very much. I have experienced failures of the altitude mode with
uncommanded steep climbs. Inconvenient, but not safety critical due to
monitoring by the pilot. I've seen it fail it's self test. That's what it's for.
| Quote: | 5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
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Safety. Hugely. Especially for single pilot IFR, where I'd consider them almost
mandatory (they are, in fact, where I currently fly IFR).
| Quote: | 6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
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Any kind of close quarter maneuvering, including the standard VFR traffic
pattern.
--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH) |
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Robert M. Gary
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 10:34 pm Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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On May 7, 6:22 pm, Mxsmanic <mxsma...@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
Other comments welcome as well, of course.
--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.
|
On the 182 (with G1000 KAP 140) we can doing full coupled approaches.
The autopilot takes over when the wheels leave the ground and I don't
kick it off until 200 feet. Full GPSS, etc.
-Robert |
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Robert M. Gary
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 10:39 pm Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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On May 7, 6:22 pm, Mxsmanic <mxsma...@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Some questions on autopilots for pilots of small GA aircraft:
1. Do you have an autopilot in your aircraft? If so, how many axes/modes?
2. Which modes do you find yourself using most often, and in what conditions?
3. Do you use your autopilot differently between VFR and IFR flight? If so,
what do you do differently?
4. How much do you trust your autopilot? Have you experienced failures? Were
they inconveniences or did they impact safety?
5. Do you find that autopilots add safety or merely add convenience?
6. Excluding situations in which autopilot is required (autolands, RVSM,
etc.), are there situations in which you prefer not to fly without an
autopilot?
Other comments welcome as well, of course.
--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.
|
I think you'll find that it is very odd for a high performance single
to not have some sort of an autopilot. In my personal airplane I have
a single axis autopilot that can follow the loc, vor, etc. Most of the
time I use it on heading mode. For VFR it does a much better job of
holding a heading for 6 hours than I can (I tend to drift around a
bit). For IFR its very nice to not have to hold the plane upright in
mild turb while looking at charts. For any turb beyond mild my
autopilot tends to diverge so I have to turn it off. Incidently the
Mooney is one of the only aircraft certified for full time autopilot.
I later got an addition to my POH allowing me to turn the autopilot
off by pulling the breaker (which puts a big red light on in the
panel). The plane has no "off" switch for the autopilot because it was
certified as "full time". There is a red interrupt button on the yoke
but the second you release it, the autopilot is back in control. Some
pilots put rubber bands on the button to hold it down when they don't
want it.
-Robert |
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chris
Guest
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| Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 1:13 am Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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Other comments welcome as well, of course.
| Quote: |
--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.
I think you'll find that it is very odd for a high performance single
to not have some sort of an autopilot. In my personal airplane I have
a single axis autopilot that can follow the loc, vor, etc. Most of the
time I use it on heading mode. For VFR it does a much better job of
holding a heading for 6 hours than I can (I tend to drift around a
bit). For IFR its very nice to not have to hold the plane upright in
mild turb while looking at charts. For any turb beyond mild my
autopilot tends to diverge so I have to turn it off. Incidently the
Mooney is one of the only aircraft certified for full time autopilot.
I later got an addition to my POH allowing me to turn the autopilot
off by pulling the breaker (which puts a big red light on in the
panel). The plane has no "off" switch for the autopilot because it was
certified as "full time". There is a red interrupt button on the yoke
but the second you release it, the autopilot is back in control. Some
pilots put rubber bands on the button to hold it down when they don't
want it.
-Robert
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Wow, that's amazing!! So how do you do flight training in it? With
your hand on the button during a wingdrop etc, I suppose.. Sounds
like a bit of an oversight for them to not even include an off
button!!!! How do you get on taxiing??? In a normal autopilot you'd
have the controls trying to take your knees out constantly  |
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Robert M. Gary
Guest
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| Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 1:34 am Post subject: Re: Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft |
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On May 8, 1:13 pm, chris <pa28_...@paradise.net.nz> wrote:
| Quote: | Other comments welcome as well, of course.
--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.
I think you'll find that it is very odd for a high performance single
to not have some sort of an autopilot. In my personal airplane I have
a single axis autopilot that can follow the loc, vor, etc. Most of the
time I use it on heading mode. For VFR it does a much better job of
holding a heading for 6 hours than I can (I tend to drift around a
bit). For IFR its very nice to not have to hold the plane upright in
mild turb while looking at charts. For any turb beyond mild my
autopilot tends to diverge so I have to turn it off. Incidently the
Mooney is one of the only aircraft certified for full time autopilot.
I later got an addition to my POH allowing me to turn the autopilot
off by pulling the breaker (which puts a big red light on in the
panel). The plane has no "off" switch for the autopilot because it was
certified as "full time". There is a red interrupt button on the yoke
but the second you release it, the autopilot is back in control. Some
pilots put rubber bands on the button to hold it down when they don't
want it.
-Robert
Wow, that's amazing!! So how do you do flight training in it? With
your hand on the button during a wingdrop etc, I suppose.. Sounds
like a bit of an oversight for them to not even include an off
button!!!! How do you get on taxiing??? In a normal autopilot you'd
have the controls trying to take your knees out constantly - Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
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Yep, that's about what happens. I'm sure pilots had always pulled the
breaker. You do have to explain to pax why there is a big red warning
light on though.
-Robert |
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