How Good is the Affordable TruTrak [AEROCRUZE 100] Autopilot?
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- Опубликовано: 28 янв 2021
- So just how good is the Affordable TruTrak [AEROCRUZE 100] Autopilot? After having the TruTrak autopilot installed now for around 7 months I will now talk about it. You will learn what I like and don't like about the low cost autopilot.
Flying, editing, and mixing your own music. Impressive. We love seeing another RUclips pilot flying and traveling with family - there's not enough of us flying and posting clips with the kids on board. We love seeing your channel grow - Keep up the good work.
Thank you very much for the inspirational comment and for the support! I am honored to be a RUclips pilot with my family by my side every step of the way. It would be too boring without them and the RUclips connections. Please keep in contact with me.
Keep up the good work. Love watching your videos.
Thanks a lot Galdi Otero! I appreciate your comment very much!
You are the man. Just what I needed. Thanks for the follow up video. Might put this in my Lance
Not a problem! I think now they are also approved for auto trim option which I going to get if that's the case. It will be a great autopilot for the Lance.
Bought one at Sun N Fun 21. Thank you for the review
@@v1rotate391 Man, congratulations buddy! It's a really good unit at an affordable price! Let me know how you like it once you get to play with it!
Another great interesting video! Watching (listening) on my way home from work. Tailwinds!
Thanks again and I hope you have a good rest from work!
Great channel! The info is awesome, and you answer every question. The Cherokee 6 is a great airplane. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much 😁
I really enjoy your videos! Keep it up.
Thank you very much John! Have a great day!
thank you for pointing out the dimmer on the "flat pak" model as this was my choice. Glad I watched this before starting the project. I see how easy and nice the round one is and will be having that installed in my piper. :)
My pleasure Walter! I hope you enjoy it!
Rodney Cichon,Thanks for the great review on the true track
You’re very welcome Rodney! It’s a good autopilot for the price but I personally would probably not install that one in my Turbo Saratoga. I like to do IFR flights and it would be nice to have an instrument approach approved autopilot. But it’s a really nice VFR autopilot and the GPSS is pretty darn good and so much better than the old wing leveler that I once had 😀.
Loved the landing music. In the process of purchasing a 69’ 6/300 and would love to upgrade to your setup. I’m sure I’ll have questions for you in the future. Keep up the good work with the videos!!
Very nice Daniel! Make sure they've done the new wing spar AD for the Cherokees. I could imagine some now trying to sell them if they encountered an issue. Feel free to ask any questions you may need. Thanks a lot for the support Daniel!
Thank you for the inspiration. I'm finishing ground school.
Thank you Kevin and great to hear that you are finishing up ground school. Keep at it! A PPL is an incredible tool!
Enjoyed the vid! Considering the Aerocruze for my 79 PA-32.
Thanks MEB! I think you'll be very pleased with it. It's been working very well. Just keep in mind that it is still not approved to do the gps instrument approaches yet. They were supposed to be working on removing that along with the 700ft agl restrictions but is has proven to be a slow process.
Excellent Brotha. That west bound headwind in the winter times is no fun though
Absolutely not Eric. It was really nice going east but I knew I’d pay the price on my way back 😀.
Great review! And I'm diggin' the tracks. Fellow flying musician here.
Very nice Christopher! It is nice to have a connection with another fellow flying musician! Keep in touch buddy!
@@FlyingDirty, Wilco!
Really useful content and presentation. Gracias y Saludos !!! 🇵🇷
Otro saludito Jose! I really like the TruTrak. It's been a really good choice and the most economical at this point for a PA32. Waiting to see if Dynon will certify for PA32 and then I might jump on it!
I was considering this autopilot. Very informative.
Thanks Trevor! I like the autopilot but they really need to hurry up with lifting the restrictions on altitude and coupled instrument approaches. Besides that, it is a nice affordable and safe peace of equipment. But I am hoping that Dynon approves the Skyview HDX autopilot for the PA32 soon!
@@FlyingDirty Raul, are you considering getting the Dynon AP once it’s approved for the six? This is a very informative video. Thank you for publishing this. I heard they might approve the Aerocruze 100 for the Mooney soon and this would be a great alternative for me as opposed to waiting for the Dynon AP STC to be approved who knows when.
@@steveconaway774 Hi Steve, I will definitely jump on the Dynon AP as soon as it hits the market. Everyone that I have spoken with that has it have nothing but great things to say about it. But I installed the TruTrak (Aerocruze 100) to get me something pretty reliable for the moment. For the price, the AC 100 is a good buy.
@@FlyingDirty Interesting, I was thinking of getting this for my Mooney since I heard they might get this STC’d next month. But if you’re saying the Dynon AP is better then I might have to wait. This is a great AP. Thank you for all your effort in producing these videos.
@@steveconaway774 my pleasure Steve!
Nice Video! I've had A TruTrack AP in my Cessna 175A for a couple of years , I love it too. I have the same likes and dislikes you do.
Hi Brian! I may be able to remove the auto trim from the dislike column. I think it is now an option but I'll have to verify! Thanks for reaching out Brian! I am truly a fan of comments and making great connections! Have a great day!
Great , Great Video, tyvm.
Gracias David!
Hope to see you down in Sun n' Fun 2021...
I’m going to plan on it!
To maximize redundancy per dollar spent, I would argue that the combination of Dynon HDX + TruTrak/AC100 is better than going with the Dynon autopilot. As you pointed out, the TruTrak can fly the plane on its own. On the other hand with the Dynon HDX+AP combo, losing a the screen means losing the AP which would be catastrophic in IMC however unlikely. As a kindred single-engine piston aircraft owner, the redundancy of the Dynon + TT/AC100 combo outweighs the lack of certification to fly below 700 feet (which I would never intentionally do in IMC). That’s just my view on it which I wanted to share, because your videos actually nudged me in the direction of putting down a deposit for this combination. Keep it up!
Personally, if the Dynon HDX autopilot gets approved for the PA 32 I’d go with that and then maybe keep the TruTrak as a backup. Plus, the HDX autopilot has everything you want including IAS mode for climbing which is great to have. In the end, it’s really all about personal preferences and what best suits the need. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Get yourself a co pilot. He may even pay for the hours.😉👍
Thanks for this. Looking into this now at Dynon’s recommendation since they said the wait for their AP for the short-body Mooney is “indefinite.”
My pleasure. It has been a pretty good autopilot but not the best option for an IFR pilot. When I first bought mine the GFC 500 was not approved for the PA32 yet or I would have probably gone that route (Just something to consider). Not to mention, since TruTrak became Bendix my understanding is that the customer service has become unreliable. Overall, not a bad autopilot for the price. 😀
@@FlyingDirty Thanks for this too! My setup is dual Skyview HDX, D10A, IFD440, GMA345, iCom A220, and a remote transponder, etc. Dynon AP would've fit nicely, but AP is not a 'need' item for me at the moment. GFC is great, but for me to incorporate that (plus either a G5 or GI275) into my setup is $$$!
@@Devyn6Seven Yes, great point! The additional cost of the G5/GI275 does add up. Since you already have the HDX the TruTrak will communicate very well with it. I was also waiting for Dynon to approve the PA32s and they opted for the PA34 for some odd reason. I have a few buddies with the HDX autopilot and it is flawless! I think you'll be happy with the autopilot.
@@FlyingDirty Sounds like Dynon. I found out very recently they are only approving the AP for the M20J and M20K, which leaves me shit out of luck and looking for an alternative. This looks like it does enough to keep me happy. I really only want an AP so I can take a break while flying! My legs are sometimes 4h long.
@@Devyn6Seven I will tell you that it does fly the GPSS perfectly for those long trips. 😀
Love the video, great review. Did you compare this AP to the trio before purchasing and could you comment on the pros and cons if you did?
Hello there,
Thanks a lot for the comment and question. I did not get a chance to compare it with the trio but they are both very similar. Most people would give the edge to the AeroCruze because it has more reputation.
Thanks again for the content!! I have just installed my aerocruze with my dynon HDX and Im super excited to try it out. I am wondering if Aerocruze can fly a flight plan just entered into the dynon?
I think I'll go with this autopilot next year. Right now I'm doing an engine and avionics. I'm also looking at the Garmin, but it's $13K-$15K installed. The only thing I'm missing is IAS climb and the ability to shoot approaches better.
I like the Garmin but, yes, it is a bit higher in price. I personally wanted the HDX over the G3X so I did not go with the Garmin A/P because of compatibility and STC issues. So I got the TruTrak for now since it is completely stand alone but also compatible with the HDX. The main reason for that is to hold on until Skyview HDX approves their autopilot for the PA32. All that is needed to activate the a/p is to purchase the servos and it will do everything including IAS mode. But I think this pandemic is going to significantly stall every pending STC.
Enjoying your channel. I got a 64 cherokee 235 and your journey has encouraged me to upgrade. We should collaborate one day...also a Creator
Hi ENTP LIFE, it took me a few years to get to this point from start to finish but the automation and options today are incredible. Where are you based?
@@FlyingDirty Fort Lauderdale kfxe.
@@Karl__Pierre very nice area for flying!
I plan on purchasing the AeroCruze 100 AP once it becomes available for PA38 112. Its the best choice for my mission. For 15lbs added in and out the door and price point is amazing 👏 👌 🙌 😀.
It's a pretty decent autopilot for VFR use but I won't be getting this one installed again on my Saratoga. It really does not cut it much for IFR flying. Originally, they were saying that they were planning and waiting on FAA approvals for IFR coupled approaches and to remove the 700 feet AGL restrictions but it seems that was all a lie to sucker people into buying it.
@@FlyingDirty Thanks for your helpful advice and honesty. I will not be purchasing it myself. I'm waiting for approval for my PA38 112 Piper Tomahawk. I told them that their leaving money on the table by not including the PA38 112 onto the STC. They didn't like that too much.
@@keithhoward9238 It seems everything changed since Bendix King took over the controls 😎
@@keithhoward9238 - Like the C150 and C152, I don't think there are *any* APs certified for the PA38 Tomahawk are there?
@@droge192 yes we all are the forgotten ones.
HEY, wonderful video so thank you. My question is what’s with the altitude limitation placard ? Did I miss something ?
Thanks C Waters. So in order to put it out the TT on quickly the market the FAA and TT agreed to have that limitation until further testing. But my guess is with this pandemic everything has paused. To that end; I am OK with it because I have a 1000ft ceiling limitation when doing IFR with my family on board. However, it is very well capable of going all the way down to minimums flawlessly. I personally do not like relying on AP to fly low ceiling IFR approaches in a single engine.
More good stuff...
Hi Chad! Thank you very much as always my friend!
Thanks for great videos. I just got our Cherokee 6 back with 2 hdx's and trutrak. When we switch to the AP tracking heading bug or GPS from the Dynon it keeps chasing (zig-zaging) the track. when tracking the Avidyne, it is rock solid. Did you have any problems with this? thanks.
Thanks a lot for the comment! Yes! Mine works great with the Avidyne and tracks well as a stand alone but it zigzags only with Dynon. It drives me nuts so I do not use it with the Dynon very much. On the other hand, I hate using the AP when climbing but the climb rates seems to work better for me with the Dynon.
Great video, thanks I am looking at one and now know not to get the square one!. What was your install time do you know? Trying to think of install cost with my mechanic at $125/hr.
Thanks Joe! Not specifically sure on the install time for the autopilot but it was a flat fee. I can't remember if it was $2700. Not a bad basic autopilot for $7,700 out the door. I also heard that, many products are on backordered.
@@FlyingDirty thanks for the reply. One more ? You talked about the dim sensor and the weakness with the square version. Can you turn off the auto dim feature so that isn’t an issue?
@@joer.824 I have not seen an option for the auto dim but probably not a bad idea.
Great explanation you need a sponsorship deal a referral link thanks
I think I will at some point start asking for sponsorships but the main thing for me is to help others and give the great GA community options!
If you have time could you do a lpv approach showing the trutrak taking care of the decent? Thanks Frazer
Hello Frazer, check out this link with it doing the LPV approach with a procedure turn. It handles rock solid with track and vertical descent. Thanks and let me know if this is what you were looking for. ruclips.net/video/r4wgo8RpVbA/видео.html
@@FlyingDirty bummer that link is set to private - would love to see it as I'm thinking about getting this autopilot with my HDX
@@PaulHuckaby what type of airplane do you have Paul? Is the HDX autopilot approved yet for your airplane? If so, definitely go with the HDX autopilot. I want to record another flight going through the LPV practice approach in more detail.
@@FlyingDirty I have a Cessna 180 and have lost confidence Dynon will ever get it done - especially since they changed the 182 certification to exclude the 182-182D - which have the same trim system as all the 180’s, stabilizer and jackscrew. So looks like the next best option is the aerocruz 100(trutrak)
@@PaulHuckaby Speaking with a few of these companies it seems they all have the same FAA approval struggles. This is why I settled for the Trutrak as well but they too are struggling on getting an approval for actual LPV approaches in IMC and the 700 feet agl limitation. My feeling on that is that it is also taking too long.
Can you please check you flight manual supplement that came with the autopilot and check if there is also a limitation against “coupled procedures” in IMC? This is really giving me pause about ordering one for my club’s archer.
I can tell you that actual IMC coupled procedures are still prohibited by the FAA. If you fly IFR a lot then you may want to consider another autopilot my friend.
Dynon Avionics looks very nice! A lot nicer than I thought. I work for a Garmin dealership and I often compare most other GA avionics systems to theirs. I might even say I like the PFD that you have and how everything is located on the display better than the G3X. May I ask what model of Dynon PFD you have installed and why you chose this one over others?
At first I was a little bit biased about the G3X and I was leaning more towards Garmin. But after seeing the Dynon HDX installed on a similar airplane I was totally attracted to it. Then, I compared the two and in the end I liked the look and feel, ease of use, map display, the button placements, and the customizable features over the G3X. For an added bonus it was much more cost effective. I also considered the Aspen E5 but for the price and limited options they were no match.
@@FlyingDirty I do like the G3X quite a bit. When I did my first install I did take me a little bit to get used to navigating the menu's and pages, but now I am quite familiar after several installs. I've only once seen the Dynon Skyview SE on an RV-8 that was in for an annual. It is a nice looking system but it didn't amaze me.
But when I saw your video what caught my attention most was the whole lower portion of the screen with the engine monitoring and the nice and crisp display. I investigated the Dynon HDX and I thought it was very unique how the buttons and knobs were angled about 20-30 degrees. Do you like that or does that make little to no difference while flying? I imagine it is like that to be able to place your thumb and get a better grip when it gets a little bumpy.
@@purplemonkeydishwasher9360 That goes into what I liked about it. The look and feel! Comparing the other units with the flat look I thought the angle was very unique and makes it look very appealing to me. The button placement is awesome. Prior to purchasing the Dynon, I played with the G3X and other units and you mostly have to get to a main menu to go to whatever page. With the Dynon buttons, it's just 1 touch and go! It also just makes a lot of sense to have buttons at an angle for ease of use. And you can either use the touch screen or use the buttons (and yes, extremely convenient when it is bumpy for sure). When it's bumpy your fingers stay put. As for the engine monitor, the Dynon allows the user to customize the look and placement to the owner's satisfaction. You can place them on top, middle, bottom, sides, split them in screen, size'em up, make them bar graph or round, etc. The display is the most brightest and sharpest that I have seen in any PFD. It also has a built in all capable autopilot and all you'd have to do is purchase the servos (however, not yet approved for PA32 or I would have gone with it also). It is just an impressive unit!
@@FlyingDirty That's awesome, I am quite impressed with the Dynon. I never though much of it before if I am honest. I can see this being a true competitor for the G3X. Even the price is relatively lower than Garmin also. Thanks for your replies. I will be sure to give you a thumbs up and subscribe.
@@purplemonkeydishwasher9360 trust me, I also didn’t give it much thought until I started to consider it. Thanks and always a pleasure to interact! Feel free to drop any other comments in the future!
Ive watched your video numerous times. Great information. Im getting one installed in my plane now and will have back this week. Question. It will be working on my flight plan in my garmin 660. So say that I push the button down and turn at a different heading for whatever reason. How do I get it back on the gsp to get back on flight plan track? Hope this makes sense. Hopefully someone can answer that question. :) I cant wait!
After you release the CWS button it will capture whatever gps ground track the aircraft is going. You will need to press the MODE button again to tell the autopilot to resume instructions from your 660
@@stephengott9381 thank you! I get to practice with it Tuesday. Can’t wait
If you haven't already and you are comfortable with your plane I would also suggest experimenting with the AEP and AP level button as well to get an idea of what they do. They AP level button when pressed can be alarming at how aggressive it brings the wings level(particularly in an unusual attitude).
@@stephengott9381 what’s the aep? I know about the level button which I can’t wait to try as well
@@tnflygirl Automatic Envelope Protection. It keeps the plane from rolling over more than 45° this system is active when the autopilot is disengaged. Your display will read "AEP STNDBY" in the lower left hand corner. When it engages it will try and level the plane back to about a 17° roll.
One question. I don’t understand the preselect altitude while in the ground. What do you set it to? To the altitude that shows in your altimeter with barometric pressure of 29.92?
Hi Chris! There are two different settings. Altitude sync and altitude preselect. The altitude sync is to sync the autopilot with your current altimeter or (airport elevation). Altitude preselect option is to set your desired climb to altitude. Say you are on an instrument flight plan and you get your instructions to climb to a specific altitude then you put that altitude on the altitude preselect so the autopilot is ready. As soon as you turn it on then it will climb to the preselected altitude. Under an instrument flight plan the altitude preselect option is great!
I have a Trutrak DigiFlight II Series in an SLSA factory installed in 2006. The display is failing. What is my cheapest route to repair or replace that unit in my dash? Is there no used market for a Trutrak DigiFlight II Series? Any help or advise is appreciated. I asked Bendix King and they were not a huge help. Just pointed me towards a new Xcruze100 but I am having trouble finding out which one of those would fit and would it work with my existing servos? I'd rather not spend $3K -$6K for the latest and greatest. Would prefer replacing with original type if there is a used market. I have not found any used Trutrak DigiFlight II Series on the web. Thoughts?
Hi buddy! I stopped becoming a fan of TruTrak ever since they joined BK. Everything went down the drain after they made that move. Their costumer service is now awful! When the Trutrak was first approved for my PA32 Trutrak told me and my mechanic that they were working on approvals for making them legal for GPS Approaches. But now they are playing a different tune. Therefore, I will not ever again support an unethical, immoral, lying company. To that end; I am not too familiar with how different in programming and compatibility the TT DigiFlight II is vs the Xcruze100 but, without certainty, I would think it would be compatible to yours. All they did was change the name for the most part. My recommendation would be to search for dealers that install the Xcruze100 and ask them and they should be able to tell you. I think you would have a much better chance with a dealer than trying to get answers from BK. Best of luck my friend and I am feeling your pain!
Where did you buy the interior material? I can’t tel if you are saying air Tex or air tech.
Thanks
Good morning Sam; It’s Airtex.
It will alt sync to a Garmin G5. Your right it doesn’t make sense it won’t sync to your equipment. Frazer
I'm hoping that they come out with a new update to fix the sync although it's not a major deal to me. From my understanding, they added an optional automatic trim so I am going to check on that.
KAPA and KFLY! Are you a Coloradan? Edit, I see you are based at KAPA. I learned to fly there. What an awesome airport.
Yes, based in KAPA and been to KFLY a few times.
@@FlyingDirty We’re in the Springs and we love Mexican cuisine. What’s the restaurant?? Because we plan on eating out A LOT when this whole thing is over!
@@patrickunderwood5662 It's Jabanero's Mexican grill. www.jabaneros.com. Let's see how 21 behaves!
@@FlyingDirty Can’t wait to try it. Really enjoying your videos too. Nice job.
@@patrickunderwood5662 Thank you buddy!
Will this AP sync, work with a G796 or a Aero 660.
Hi Kevin, I don’t have the install manual in front of me but there are a number of gps (including portable) that will work with the autopilot. It even works as a standalone unit which is one of my favorite safety reasons for buying it. However, with a WAAS gps you get the smooth gps steering option. To that end; I have been disappointed that they are stalling on the approval for IFR coupled approaches. If you don’t care about IFR then this is not a big deal.
@@FlyingDirty THANK YOU. I Currently have a 496 in it. I wanted to upgrade but don’t know what will talk to it. Will the 496? Also, I have a new Stratus 3 and Foreflight pro subscription. I would like to get a 660 upgrade. Will that talk to the AP? I know I will need servos and other hardware for the install. Any suggestions would be great on what to get.
@@kevinbandy1221 personally, the AeroCruze is a pretty good AP for the price. I just looked at the manual and it is approved for all non tso that you’ve mentioned. But just keep in mind that type of navigation is not approved for IFR and will do gps point to point flight plans but no gps steering.
Is there a manual with the switch installation? I can not find where I can install a switch to switch from dynon to avidyne.
Hi Peter. I don’t think there’s a manual for the switch. It was done by the avionics shop.
@@FlyingDirty thank you. What’s the name of the shop? Maybe I can call them and ask for help.
@@peterortiz9576 Saint Aviation down in Florida
I like your videos alot. But, I gotta ask you: Are you really flying safely when your producing a video while "flying the airplane"? Would it be safer to have a "safety pilot" ride along while you produce?
Thanks a lot for the comment and I really appreciate your question. In fact, it is probably one of the best questions to date. When it comes to pilot youtubers do not assume that any of them will sacrifice safety for a video! You must remain vigilant at all times! I simply talk while the cameras record which there is nothing dangerous about that whatsoever. No different than talking to a co-pilot or passengers. And if, I did not talk, it will not make it safer. In fact, talking can actually be safer because without talking you can easily get bored, complaisant, and fatigued. To that end; if a pilot cannot fly and talk during cruise flight then they should not be flying. But do always practice a sterile cockpit during takeoffs and landings. Lastly, just like a movie, It is final the edited production responsible for making the videos seem smooth when, in reality, that is not the case. Now there might be a few videos where I don't edit out some of the vigilant parts only because I wanted to make safety a focal point such as in this video ruclips.net/video/AXz1iC83JUs/видео.html at around 5:56. But any pilot that can't talk and fly safely then I would say that's a bigger problem. Please never for a minute think flying and making a video is really as smooth as it may appear. Thanks for that question! It was a really great question!
I’m not sure if you’re a pilot or not but nothing I’ve seen Raul do is unsafe. You even see him pause when he hears radio traffic on the comms. I don’t know his level of experience or how many hours he has but I can see he is deliberate and safe. And I speak from 30 years of experience in aviation and about 7000 hours with CFI and CFII in airplanes and helicopters.
@@steveconaway774 Hi Steve,
I hear people asking the same question with some of my other favorite youtubers even while they are filming and driving. It’s just talking and the cameras don’t talk back 😆. Safety first and the rest is a distant second. What you don’t actually get to see are all the pauses in between that I take out while editing. Nobody wants to see a 15 min video full of 2 hours of the boring stuff. BTW you have me beat. 23 years flying and a little over 1k hours.
@@FlyingDirty I know you keep it safe Raul. About 14 years ago two news helicopters collided over Phoenix while covering a police chase. The biggest contributing factor was the roll the the reporter/pilot. Both of them were so focused on the car chase that they lost track of each other and eventually crashed. What people don’t see in those aircraft, behind the scenes, are the camera operator yapping at you to position the helicopter, the news desk yapping at you, listening to the scanner, monitoring ATC or the air to air frequency, etc. Some changes were made with some operators, others made little to no changes. You doing what you do is nothing like that. Like you said, you’re just talking to a camera and occasionally reading notes. On a long cross country flight with traffic and terrain warning systems to help you, I see nothing wrong with what you do. People criticizing, who have no aviation background, just chap my hide a little bit. Keep up the excellent work my friend.
@@steveconaway774 A very smart fellow once said: "People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Steve, I've been in aviation 40 years/23,000 hours/ATP/CFII. Your assumptions that I am not in aviation are provoking.
I enjoy Raul's productions. It was my intention to plant a seed of thought to grow in Raul's mind a way he could promote aviation in a safer manner. It is important to aviation safety that high visibility channels promote safe flying habits and lead by example. But now, because you think your opinion should trump mine; and because you fail to see how safety would benefit from my simple suggestion to use a safety pilot, I'm gonna call it like I see it: This is distracted flying. It is a phenomenon the NTSB seeks to eliminate. Steve, the NTSB are the people who go to the accident sites you never visit. They know the risks. www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-alerts/Documents/SA_025.pdf
As I watch Raul's video, I can see clearly that Raul is alone. And, he is assuming the roles of a video production team. He is videographer working two cameras, he is engineer, he is producer, he is host. The roles of such require attention to small details. His hand is on the camera, he is pointing it. He is commenting from a bullet sheet. And in 19 minutes of cuts, I can't recall seeing him look over either shoulder to effectively scan for traffic. He is distracted. And, he is all alone. So, who is flying the aircraft and performing all the duties of the Pilot In Command?
Once more I will posit my original simple question: Would it be "safer" to have a "safety pilot" ride along while you produce?
It looks like Bendix-King has dropped all the certified versions. Their site only shows experimental versions.
Bendix has separate portals for the certified and an experimental versions. The AeroCruze 100 certified is this one: www.bendixking.com/en/products/ai/autopilots-and-indicators/aerocruze-100
How much to install trutrak?
RMB, 3,300.
Trutrak sound great - on paper because you can’t actually buy the system. Been trying for months and all you get from them are crickets. Apparently the product doesn’t actually exist beyond a few demos like in this video.
Man, I’m sorry to hear that! But after COVID just about every manufacturer you can think of has been hit hard and the TruTrak has been on high demand. I got mine pre COVID and it was very easy. Have you tried to get it from aircraft spruce? I know several people who gets the units from them and they seem to have no trouble. The guy who installed mine also installs a lot of them nonstop. So I know they are pushing those units out. Thanks for sharing!
@@FlyingDirty I’ve tried aircraft spruce also but not lately. Pretty much gave up a couple months ago. I’ll look into it again.
@@brax2364 things have been more challenging with this pandemic. Even shirts and other supplies are hard to get ahold off. I’ve hade to change suppliers now for the 3rd time because they are either permanently shut down or can’t produce enough products to keep up anymore. Best wishes Brax and keep me posted!
@@FlyingDirty Thank you. The backstory is my son and I own two Cherokees. One is well equipped with Century 4000 3 axis autopilot, GNS 430W, HSI all coupled. The other one has GNS 430W and two glide slopes but no autopilot. I would like to go with two G5s and install the TruTrak in the one my son flies the most. He’s also an A&P. I’ll hit the subscribe button and update you.
@@brax2364 I can talk with a guy that I ordered mine from who’s a TruTrak dealer and ask him if he can get you one if you like.
When you said you wish it had 'automatic trim' ..... it does! It's simply because you don't have electric trim in your airplane. I have the same AP in my C172 that has electric trim and it trims automatically. So that's not a shortcoming of the AP, simply that in your application, you don't have electric trim, so it's impossible for the AP to manipulate your aircraft's trim.
What in the world makes you assume such response? I have electric trim on both of my airplanes. You obviously do not have the same model as mine or a halfway illegal non FAA approved install for a certified airplane. The earlier TruTrak models “prior to BK” only offered annunciation trim. On later AeroCruze models they began to offer the electric trim options and they also raised the price significantly. My TruTrak model does not have automatic capabilities for the automated trim option. It’s also not FAA approved for IFR approaches although it can do them. So everything I said about my TruTrak model is accurate. It is thanks to videos like this that may have put the pressure on them to actually start offering the electric trim option on later AeroCruze “BK” models.