A/P upgrade

[Jfelipe.rojasr]

Hi

We are having problems with our A/P APS-65 from Rockwell Collins and the new glass cockpit with G600 and GTN 750. We are looking if we need to change the A/P, from your experience what A/P would be better to install on a 690A with Garmin G600 and GTN750? Does any A/P has an approved STC for this systems?

Thanks in advanced for your attention,

Kind Regards

[Bruce Byerly]

Stec 2100 is the only real option. But you must have Rockwell’s old 690B? That’s the only one with an APS-65.  And the APS 65 will work better with a G600 than any other autopilot. By far. I suggest fixing your autopilot. Or changing avionics providers. There’s no reason it shouldn’t work great together.

[Adam Frisch]

Is that the same as the Stec 65? Or something else?

[Bruce Byerly]

Is that the same as the Stec 65? Or something else?

The 2100 would be significantly better than the 65.  The Stec 65 is rate based - not a good choice for a turbine imho. What’s the issue with yours?

[Jfelipe.rojasr]

Stec 2100 is the only real option. But you must have Rockwell’s old 690B? That’s the only one with an APS-65.  And the APS 65 will work better with a G600 than any other autopilot. By far. I suggest fixing your autopilot. Or changing avionics providers. There’s no reason it shouldn’t work great together.

Hi Bruce

Thanks for your response, part of the story of the aircraft is that for some reason that is not recorded on the logbooks, the A/P was changed in 1993 and was installed the APS-65 from Rockwell Collins. Maybe this is the reason why you think it is a 690B.

What we are seeing with the pilots is that the trims have a very low speed of response to commands? We think of servo problems, what would you think?

Also we are seeking an expert on this A/P with G600 to make a diagnose to find the root cause of our problem.

Kind Regards

[Bruce Byerly]

Trim speeds are slow all in the Commanders with the KFC300 seemingly faster - maybe you can send a video?

Tell me again which serial number plane you have? 

[Jfelipe.rojasr]

Trim speeds are slow all in the Commanders with the KFC300 seemingly faster - maybe you can send a video?

Tell me again which serial number plane you have?

Hi bruce,

The videos I will send them to you when the crew arrive from field. The aircraft serial number is 11217.

[Bruce Byerly]

Ok - I’ll look forward to it.

[donv]

How difficult is it to do a 2100 upgrade, if you already have a Garmin (G600/750) panel? I believe it requires new servos-- does that mean new wiring to the servos? Or can you use the existing wiring?

[Bruce Byerly]

How difficult is it to do a 2100 upgrade, if you already have a Garmin (G600/750) panel? I believe it requires new servos-- does that mean new wiring to the servos? Or can you use the existing wiring?

I’d guess $75,000 and it doesn’t fly as good as an APS 65.

[donv]

How about in comparison to an AP-106?

[Bruce Byerly]

How about in comparison to an AP-106?

Don - I’d take a 106 with pre-select.  It’s very stable and predictable.   Many have let the system go, however, and/or don’t even know how the system (particularly the pre-select) is supposed to work in the first place.  I’ve seen pilots with years of experience who don’t understand the pre-select system. Not one, but many, including sim instuctors.

The Stec is great, but again, I’ve seen so many scary installs that it’s hard to say without flying the particular airplane.  If it’s sorted, it’s very good. But it has to be tweaked as far as I can tell. If you have a shop just bolt it in, it will try to kill you, IMHO.

[Jfelipe.rojasr]

Bruce

With the avionics G600 & GTN750 and A/P APS-65 can the aircraft be certified as RNAV (GNSS)?

[Bruce Byerly]

Bruce

With the avionics G600 & GTN750 and A/P APS-65 can the aircraft be certified as RNAV (GNSS)?

Yes but it requires a roll steering adapter along with a switch in the panel to select between “HDG” (the old way) or GNSS (autopilot driven direct from Garmin without CDI interference).  Some are labeled differently and there is more to it, of course, but it’s very common.