Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
To:  lml@lancaironline.net
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:55:12 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-4348376@logan.com>
Received-SPF: pass
 receiver=logan.com; client-ip=205.188.91.96; envelope-from=Sky2high@aol.com
From: Sky2high@aol.com
Subject: Re: [LML] Retrofitting autopilot to 360
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_539bc.5a2ee9c.3948f39d_boundary"


--part1_539bc.5a2ee9c.3948f39d_boundary
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Rob,
 
Great suggestions.  I used an extra mechanical trim system block for  the 
elevator to A/P servo control rod connection (S-Tec  50).  I had once heard 
of the trim block slipping on the elevator push rod  so I installed hose 
clamps on either side of both the trim and  A/P connector blocks to make sure 
they would never slip.
 
Grayhawk 
 
 
In a message dated 6/15/2010 6:59:19 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
rwolf99@aol.com writes:

It should not be too hard to install an autopilot to a 360.  All you  
really need to do is the following:
 
Mount the servos to the aircraft
Make pushrods to attach the servos to the existing control tubes
Install the control unit in the instrument panel
Wire it up
 
From this perspective, all of the autopilots are the same.  (I have  the 
Trutrak Digitrak autopilot, which costs about $4000.)  Mounting the  servos is 
easy -- they come with brackets and all you need is a set of  Click-Bond 
studs and a dab of epoxy (I used Hysol but I have used straight  epoxy as 
well).  Work with someone who has done composite work before as  the surface 
prep is important for making the epoxy stick.
 
The potential "gotcha" here is there needs to be room to install the  
servos.  The roll servo needs to go under the seats on either side, and  it's 
location is fairly important.  This link contains the location for  the 
installation in the Legacy and the 360 is identical.  
_http://www.trutrakap.com/docs.html_ (http://www.trutrakap.com/docs.html)    You might find that there is 
a fuel pump in the way, or not.  Maybe  hydraulic lines, or not.  If so, 
you will have to relocate and probably  replumb some stuff.  The pushrod 
attaches to the bottom of either control  stick.  You will need to replace the 
existing bolt with a longer  one.  That's all.
 
The pitch servo is less critical -- there are simply more places to put  
it.  You could put it under the seat (as I have) or you could mount it to  the 
side of the tunnel in the baggage area.  You could also put it in the  
tailcone.  You will need to fashion some way to connect the pushrod to  the main 
elevator pushrod (forward or aft pushrod -- it doesn't matter which  one).  
The idler used in the Trutrak instructions for the Legacy is  different 
from the 360.  I suppose you could pull out the 360 idler and  remanufacture a 
replacement with a place to attach a pushrod, but I  wouldn't.  Some have 
riveted a bracket onto their elevator pushrod,  and that's okay, but I made a 
nylon block similar to the mechanical trim  system nylon block.  This clamps 
around the elevator pushrod and the  autopilot pushrod connects to that.  
Picture is attached, showing the  mechanical trim block side by side with my 
custom block.  I cut the hole  with a Forstner bit to get a clean hole but I 
cut the block with a table  saw.
 
Buy a premanufactured wiring harness from SteinAir (or equivalent).   They 
used to cost $150 but I don't know the current price.
 
Bottom line price should be maybe $5000 if you do the work yourself, and  
double that if you get help.
 
- Rob Wolf


--
For archives and unsub  http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/List.html


--part1_539bc.5a2ee9c.3948f39d_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3DUS-ASCII" http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.18928"></HEAD>
<BODY style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" id=3Dr=
ole_body  bottomMargin=3D7 leftMargin=3D7 rightMargin=3D7 topMargin=3D7><F=
ONT id=3Drole_document  color=3D#000000 size=3D2 face=3DArial>
<DIV>Rob,</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Great suggestions.&nbsp; I used an extra mechanical trim system block=
 for=20
the elevator&nbsp;to A/P&nbsp;servo control rod connection&nbsp;(S-Tec=20
50).&nbsp; I had once heard of the trim block slipping on the elevator pus=
h rod=20
so I installed hose clamps on either side of both the trim and=20
A/P&nbsp;connector blocks to make sure they would never slip.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Grayhawk&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 6/15/2010 6:59:19 A.M. Central Daylight Time,=20
rwolf99@aol.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE  style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARG=
IN-LEFT: 5px"><FONT    style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=3D#00=
0000 size=3D2 face=3DArial><FONT    color=3Dblack size=3D2 face=3Darial>
  <DIV>It should not be too hard to install an autopilot to a 360.&nbsp;=
 All you=20
  really need to do is the following:</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>Mount the servos to the aircraft</DIV>
  <DIV>Make pushrods to attach the servos to the existing control tubes</D=
IV>
  <DIV>Install the control unit in the instrument panel</DIV>
  <DIV>Wire it up</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>From this perspective, all of the autopilots are the same.&nbsp; (I=
 have=20
  the Trutrak Digitrak autopilot, which costs about $4000.)&nbsp; Mounting=
 the=20
  servos is easy -- they come with brackets and all you need is a set of=
=20
  Click-Bond studs and a dab of epoxy (I used Hysol but I have used straig=
ht=20
  epoxy as well).&nbsp; Work with someone who has done composite work befo=
re as=20
  the surface prep is important for making the epoxy stick.</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>The potential "gotcha" here is there needs to be room to install th=
e=20
  servos.&nbsp; The roll servo needs to go under the seats on either side,=
 and=20
  it's location is fairly important.&nbsp; This link contains the location=
 for=20
  the installation in the Legacy and the 360 is identical.&nbsp; <A    tit=
le=3Dhttp://www.trutrakap.com/docs.html    href=3D"http://www.trutrakap.co=
m/docs.html">http://www.trutrakap.com/docs.html</A>&nbsp;=20
  You might find that there is a fuel pump in the way, or not.&nbsp; Maybe=
=20
  hydraulic lines, or not.&nbsp; If so, you will have to relocate and prob=
ably=20
  replumb some stuff.&nbsp; The pushrod attaches to the bottom of either=
 control=20
  stick.&nbsp; You will need to replace the existing bolt with a longer=20
  one.&nbsp; That's all.</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>The pitch servo is less critical -- there are simply more places to=
 put=20
  it.&nbsp; You could put it under the seat (as I have) or you could mount=
 it to=20
  the side of the tunnel in the baggage area.&nbsp; You could also put it=
 in the=20
  tailcone.&nbsp; You will need to fashion some way to connect the pushrod=
 to=20
  the main elevator pushrod (forward or aft pushrod -- it doesn't matter=
 which=20
  one).&nbsp; The idler used in the Trutrak instructions for the Legacy is=
=20
  different from the 360.&nbsp; I suppose you could pull out the 360 idler=
 and=20
  remanufacture a replacement with a place to attach a pushrod, but I=20
  wouldn't.&nbsp; Some have riveted a bracket onto their&nbsp;elevator pus=
hrod,=20
  and that's okay,&nbsp;but I made a nylon block similar to the mechanical=
 trim=20
  system nylon block.&nbsp; This clamps around the elevator pushrod and th=
e=20
  autopilot pushrod connects to that.&nbsp; Picture is attached, showing=
 the=20
  mechanical trim block side by side with my custom block.&nbsp; I cut the=
 hole=20
  with a Forstner bit to get a clean hole but I&nbsp;cut the block with a=
 table=20
  saw.</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>Buy a premanufactured wiring harness from SteinAir (or equivalent).=
&nbsp;=20
  They used to cost $150 but I don't know the current price.</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>Bottom line price should be maybe $5000 if you do the work yourself=
, and=20
  double that if you get help.</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>- Rob Wolf<BR><BR></DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"CLEAR: both"></DIV></FONT><BR><BR>--<BR>For archives and=
 unsub=20
  http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/List.html<BR></FONT></BLOCKQU=
OTE></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

--part1_539bc.5a2ee9c.3948f39d_boundary--