New to group, taking a quick survey...

[Brian O]

All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
B

[Dave Stadt]

Left hand Mark 1.

"Brian O" > wrote in message
...
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
>

[rocky]

Brian O wrote:

> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
>
I use the "armstrong autopilot". (left arm on yoke, right arm for
throttle etc). PUN intended

[Bob Noel]

In article >,
"Brian O" > wrote:

> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.

I have an STEC 40 in my cherokee 140.

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

[Thomas Borchert]

Brian,

> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use?
>

You mean the new handheld ones? ;-)

What do you expect as an answer to that question? Renters will say:
"Whatever comes with the plane". Owners will say any one or several of
"What I could afford, what works with my plane, what integrated best
with my systems, what delivered the features I wanted".

So which of these aspects are of interest to you? Which kinds of planes
are of interest to you? What do you REALLY want to know?

The question you pose makes no sense.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Matt Barrow]

"Brian O" > wrote in message
...
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
King KFC-200.
--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO (MTJ)

[Flyingmonk]

Brian O wrote:
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B

I spent my money so that "I" get to fly, I'm not spending my money to
be a passenger. I can use the airlines for that.

Monk

[Steven Barnes]

Wife.

"Brian O" > wrote in message
...
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
>

[Emily]

Brian O wrote:
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
>
I never use one, even when it's in the plane.

[g n p]

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
>
> Brian,
>
>> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use?
>>
>
> You mean the new handheld ones? ;-)
>
> What do you expect as an answer to that question? Renters will say:
> "Whatever comes with the plane". Owners will say any one or several of
> "What I could afford, what works with my plane, what integrated best
> with my systems, what delivered the features I wanted".
>
> So which of these aspects are of interest to you? Which kinds of planes
> are of interest to you? What do you REALLY want to know?
>
> The question you pose makes no sense.
>
> --
> Thomas Borchert (EDDH)


Just back from therapy???
The OP posed a direct question, how 'bout a direct answer???
Somethng like KFC 150 w/ altitude preselect and no yaw damping??? (that's
me).
Jeeesh.....

[Ben Hallert]

Brian O wrote:
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B

http://hallert.net/images/airplaneminiotto.jpg of course. That, or I
just read my paper and listen for my passenger to scream, which means I
need to grab the yoke and pull back until they stop yelling. Don't
even have to look up, the system really works.

[Jose]

> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.

I don't use one at all. It makes me feel too much like a passenger.

Jose
--
The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[Brian O]

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
> Brian,
>
> > All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use?
> >
>
> You mean the new handheld ones? ;-)
>
> What do you expect as an answer to that question? Renters will say:
> "Whatever comes with the plane". Owners will say any one or several of
> "What I could afford, what works with my plane, what integrated best
> with my systems, what delivered the features I wanted".
>
> So which of these aspects are of interest to you? Which kinds of planes
> are of interest to you? What do you REALLY want to know?
>
> The question you pose makes no sense.
>
> --
> Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

You're right Thomas. I have an ulterior motive. I'm really trying to find
the meaning of life by asking what kind of autopilot folks use. I thought
it was a simple question, but you sir have shown that its a very complicated
issue that maybe the government should get involved with. Thanks for your
enlightenment.
B

[Matt Whiting]

Brian O wrote:

> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
>

What's an autopilot?

MAtt

[Peter R.]

Brian O > wrote:

> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.

Looks like there are a lot of heros in this group. :)

I fly a lot of single pilot IFR in the northeast US and my Bonanza is
equipped with an S-TEC 60-2 with altitude hold. I use it often for
straight and level cruise, but then again I am flying at least three times
a week for commuting and charity.

Once in a great while I will use it to fly an instrument approach, but that
is perhaps one out of every thirty approaches or so and only to practice
the correct button sequencing.

The Bonanza has a lot of wiggle in turbulence and I am considering adding a
yaw damper, which would theoretically provide more comfort for passengers.

--
Peter

[Thomas Borchert]

Brian,

> I'm really trying to find
> the meaning of life by asking what kind of autopilot folks use.
>

That's easy: 42, of course ;-)

I'm sorry if I did not bring it across very well (and possible sounding
annoyed, which I didn't intend to at all), but I'd really like to know
what you're aiming at with that broad a question which IMHO is bound to
deliver results that are not comparable. I just don't understand,
that's all.

FWIW, S-TEC 50.

Oh, and with regard to some of the answers in the thread, it might be
of interest that here in Germany, single-pilot IFR flying is only
allowed in an airplane with an operating two-axis autopilot.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Thomas Borchert]

Peter,

> Looks like there are a lot of heros in this group. :)
>

So you noticed, too? ;-)

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Dan Luke]

"Brian O" wrote:

> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.

I'm ashamed to admit that, unlike the many goggles 'n' scarf-wearing,
old-school aviators in this group, I have an S-Tec 50 autopilot. Even
worse, I actually use it.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Matt Whiting]

Dan Luke wrote:

> "Brian O" wrote:
>
>
>>All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
>
>
> I'm ashamed to admit that, unlike the many goggles 'n' scarf-wearing,
> old-school aviators in this group, I have an S-Tec 50 autopilot. Even
> worse, I actually use it.

Oh, the shame... :-)


Matt

[Matt Barrow]

"Peter R." > wrote in message
...
> Brian O > wrote:
>
>> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
>
> Looks like there are a lot of heros in this group. :)
>
> I fly a lot of single pilot IFR in the northeast US and my Bonanza is
> equipped with an S-TEC 60-2 with altitude hold. I use it often for
> straight and level cruise, but then again I am flying at least three times
> a week for commuting and charity.
>
> Once in a great while I will use it to fly an instrument approach, but
> that
> is perhaps one out of every thirty approaches or so and only to practice
> the correct button sequencing.
>
> The Bonanza has a lot of wiggle in turbulence and I am considering adding
> a
> yaw damper, which would theoretically provide more comfort for passengers.
>
I shudder to imagine flying a V-tail without a yaw damper.

I have a YD in my KFC-200, but in the straight tail, you hardly notice it.
--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO (MTJ)

[Matt Barrow]

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Brian O" wrote:
>
>> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
>
> I'm ashamed to admit that, unlike the many goggles 'n' scarf-wearing,
> old-school aviators in this group, I have an S-Tec 50 autopilot. Even
> worse, I actually use it.

Candyass!!!

[skym]

Brian O wrote:
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B

STEC 30

[Mark Manes]

Century 2000 /w Altitude Hold, Attitude Hold and will capture &
fly the ILS's. But I have had a lot of trouble with it and it has quit
working enough that I never fly approaches (except to see if the
autopilot is working & in VFR contidions). It has quit working enough
that I couldnt get to the point to forgeting to fly by hand (even if I
wanted to). I'm taking it back to the Factory this Wednesday again!


Mark Manes
N28409
WC5I


"Brian O" > wrote in message
...
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
>

[Peter R.]

Matt Barrow > wrote:

> I shudder to imagine flying a V-tail without a yaw damper.

I suspect there are many more V-tails flying without YDs than with. For
the pilot and copilot, it really isn't a problem, though. The pilot and
co-pilot seats are pretty much directly over the vertical axis, so the
yawing motion is relatively light. Moving backwards, however, this
sensation increases substantially. Add to that a passenger who is
unaccustomed to the motion and barf bags better be within reach.

Now that I am considering installing the fifth seat in the luggage area for
my third boy, the priority to purchase and install a YD has been elevated.


--
Peter

[Gary Drescher]

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
> Oh, and with regard to some of the answers in the thread, it might be
> of interest that here in Germany, single-pilot IFR flying is only
> allowed in an airplane with an operating two-axis autopilot.

That *is* interesting. Almost all my IMC flying here in the Northeastern US
is single-pilot with no autopilot.

--Gary

[Emily]

Gary Drescher wrote:
> "Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Oh, and with regard to some of the answers in the thread, it might be
>> of interest that here in Germany, single-pilot IFR flying is only
>> allowed in an airplane with an operating two-axis autopilot.
>
> That *is* interesting. Almost all my IMC flying here in the Northeastern US
> is single-pilot with no autopilot.

No kidding. I prefer to be hand flying the plane in IMC. If I use
autopilot, I tend to not pay enough attention to what's going on.

[Thomas Borchert]

Gary,

> Almost all my IMC flying here in the Northeastern US
> is single-pilot with no autopilot.
>

Well, each picks his/her own level of risk exposure. While I have come
to truly hate the overregulation of GA in Europe, this is one of the
few rules that makes at least a little sense to me. It is still
overregulation, though.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Thomas Borchert]

Emily,

> I prefer to be hand flying the plane in IMC.
>

Handy flying in turbulent IMC while fishing for an approach chart or
even briefing and setting-up and approach can be, well, demanding.
"Demanding" in IMC is equivalent with increased risk.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Gary Drescher]

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
> Hand flying in turbulent IMC while fishing for an approach chart or
> even briefing and setting-up and approach can be, well, demanding.
> "Demanding" in IMC is equivalent with increased risk.

It's true that in turbulence, it becomes almost like driving a car in terms
of the need for paying second-to-second attention. Setting up for an
approach has to be done in a series of very brief diversions of attention.
But I find that with plenty of recent practice, the required procedures are
comfortably within my capabilities. I use my PC flight simulator to maintain
proficiency in conditions that are much more turbulent than I'd fly in for
real.

--Gary

[Gary Drescher]

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
>> Almost all my IMC flying here in the Northeastern US
>> is single-pilot with no autopilot.
>
> Well, each picks his/her own level of risk exposure. While I have come
> to truly hate the overregulation of GA in Europe, this is one of the
> few rules that makes at least a little sense to me. It is still
> overregulation, though.

I wonder if the difference in regulation makes a noticeable difference in
safety. The Nall Report is a good summary of the accident and fatality
statistics for GA in the US. Do you know of a comparable summary for Europe?
(http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/05nall.pdf)

Thanks,
Gary

[Thomas Borchert]

Gary,

> Do you know of a comparable summary for Europe?
>

I'm afraid I don't. Also, since flying is so much more expensive here,
I think the statistics would be heavily distorted by lack of
procificiency.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Bob Martin]

Brian O wrote:
> All you private pilots, what kind of autopilot do you use? Thanks.
> B
>
>
"Here, honey, you fly for a minute..."

[Morgans]

>> Oh, and with regard to some of the answers in the thread, it might be
>> of interest that here in Germany, single-pilot IFR flying is only
>> allowed in an airplane with an operating two-axis autopilot.
>
> That *is* interesting. Almost all my IMC flying here in the Northeastern
> US is single-pilot with no autopilot.

Well, *everyone* knows that American pilots are superior to German pilots,
so that covers that! <g>
--
Jim in NC