Autopilot questions for small GA aircraft

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...

That's reassuring. I wouldn't want to fly anything without an
autopilot--a
good one.

You couldn't fly your desk without an autopilot, moron.


How much do autopilots for small aircraft cost? Do they have to be
provided
for at the factory, or can they be retrofitted to an aircraft?

Do you just talk to hear your head rattle?


I don't like that idea at all. Even airliners have positive disconnects
for
the autopilot.


I'll alert the media and the FAA. We'll ground everything without a
disconnect at once!

Mxsmanic wrote:
Robert M. Gary writes:

I think you'll find that it is very odd for a high performance single
to not have some sort of an autopilot.

That's reassuring. I wouldn't want to fly anything without an autopilot--a
good one.

Why?? What difference does it make? For your average light aircraft
like I fly the autopilot is of limited use anyway. I use heading mode
infrequently at best.



How much do autopilots for small aircraft cost? Do they have to be provided
for at the factory, or can they be retrofitted to an aircraft?


There's a ****load of stuff that makes up an autopilot, apparently.
It's not just a control in front of you, there's all sorts of other junk
scattered round the plane..

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.

I don't like that idea at all. Even airliners have positive disconnects for
the autopilot.



It does sound a bit strange, but as far as I am concerned you would have
to experience it to actually judge that.

Chris Nielsen writes:

Why?? What difference does it make?

You never know when having something to fly the plane for you for a few
minutes (or longer) might come in handy. Additionally, on trips of any
length, I'm pretty sure I'd get very tired of holding the controls all the
time.

For IFR flights, especially alone, an autopilot would be invaluable. It would
also be extremely useful in congested airspace when there are many other
things to do besides flying the plane.

At least that's how I see it. I like to have lots of options.

It does sound a bit strange, but as far as I am concerned you would have
to experience it to actually judge that.

Mooney aircraft seem to be unusual in many respects. Their Web site makes
them look like they build racing aircraft.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...


You never know when having something to fly the plane for you for a few
minutes (or longer) might come in handy. Additionally, on trips of any
length, I'm pretty sure I'd get very tired of holding the controls all the
time.

Just demonstrates how little you know. Maybe you should actually try flying
an airplane sometime.


For IFR flights, especially alone, an autopilot would be invaluable. It
would
also be extremely useful in congested airspace when there are many other
things to do besides flying the plane.

Na, do that at home before you leave. Not the right group to give pointers
on that subject anyway.


At least that's how I see it. I like to have lots of options.

More like a lot of strange ideas.


It does sound a bit strange, but as far as I am concerned you would have
to experience it to actually judge that.

It's usually best if you experience most anything before you judge it. Odd
concept to you I'm sure, but someday you might grow up and find it to be
true.


Mooney aircraft seem to be unusual in many respects. Their Web site makes
them look like they build racing aircraft.


You seem to be unusual in every respect. I hear your website makes you like
like an absolute dope.

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

Chris Nielsen writes:

Why?? What difference does it make?

You never know when having something to fly the plane for you for a
few minutes (or longer) might come in handy.

You don;t fly fjukkwit. Therefore you are talking out of your ass.


And they';re called airplanes, retard.

Bertie


Berti e

On May 23, 7:18 am, Mxsmanic wrote:
Chris Nielsen writes:
Why?? What difference does it make?

You never know when having something to fly the plane for you for a few
minutes (or longer) might come in handy. Additionally, on trips of any
length, I'm pretty sure I'd get very tired of holding the controls all the
time.

For IFR flights, especially alone, an autopilot would be invaluable. It would
also be extremely useful in congested airspace when there are many other
things to do besides flying the plane.

At least that's how I see it. I like to have lots of options.

Well I don't know **** about IFR and don't claim to. Autopilot for a
small plane VFR, i.e. Warrior, is just about pointless for short trips
at least. Yeah, it's nice to be able to hold heading but you still
got to keep the bug in the right place so it flies where you want. And
you gotta trim it up nicely before engaging it or you end up with a
constant bank. And you got to maintain your altitude yourself. On
the Archers I have flown it takes so long to get the thing trimmed up
nicely, especially elevator trim, that for a short trip it's more
trouble than it's worth.

I did a couple of 300nm trips recently in a 172 without autopilot or
rudder trim and found I didn't miss the autopilot one little bit.
Missed the rudder trim though, especially since it was 180hp and
whenever you had a high cruise power setting you had to hold constant
pressure on the rudder. And the ball on 172s swings from side to side
in turbulence, I've found, so it makes it harder to know how much
rudder to hold. Oh, and the because of uneven loading (me sitting on
one side) it was leaning to one side the whole trip - had to hold
right aileron the whole way. Autopilot would not have helped me
very much.


It does sound a bit strange, but as far as I am concerned you would have
to experience it to actually judge that.

Mooney aircraft seem to be unusual in many respects. Their Web site makes
them look like they build racing aircraft.

They're known for being fast, that's for sure

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

You never know when having something to fly the plane for you for a
few minutes (or longer) might come in handy. Additionally, on trips
of any length, I'm pretty sure I'd get very tired of holding the
controls all the time.

It's *usually* not that bad. In good weather, with fairly stable air,
it's less effort than driving a car for hours on end - much less. And
frankly, the little extra work of controlling the yoke helps keep you
awake on long flights. [The danger is not so much actually falling
asleep, as getting into the flight equivalent of "highway hypnosis."]

For IFR flights, especially alone, an autopilot would be invaluable.
It would also be extremely useful in congested airspace when there are
many other things to do besides flying the plane.

Very true. While the pilot should ALWAYS be able to complete the flight
flying manually, a working autopilot on a single-pilot IFR flight can be
a BIG work saver. There is a lot of other things to do in the cockpit:
Charts to find and unfold/fold, approach plates to brief, fixes and
routing changes to study, radios and instruments to adjust,... and of
course on long flights, lunch!

An autopilot, even a simple wing leveler or another set of hands to find
or hold stuff for you, can really make life better.

Mooney aircraft seem to be unusual in many respects. Their Web site
makes them look like they build racing aircraft.

Traditionally they built fast aircraft for the power. Not the fastest
airplanes in the air, but certainly the fastest on the fuel flow. Now
days they have gotten a bit away from that and are pushing higher
powered turbocharged models. They are still among the most efficient
production aircraft.

Their full-time wing-leveler autopilot (standard equipment) was, for
years, touted as a significant safety feature.

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James M. Knox
TriSoft ph 512-385-0316
1300 Koenig Lane West fax 512-371-5716
Suite 200
Austin, Tx 78756
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