New to group, taking a quick survey...

"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!!!

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

STEC 30

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

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

"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

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.

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)

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)

"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

"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