STEC-30

Thinking about putting a STEC-30 with the GPS Steer in our '79 Mooney
M20J. Anyone have one of these that would care to give a PIREP? We are
located in the Inidianapolis area so fi yu know a good shop we'd
appreciate it. Thanks!!

Jon Kraus

A student of mine has that setup in his Mooney. It's a hell of a seup
in terms of roll control. GPSS makes an autopilot behave the way you
expect - it gets you on course and keeps you on course without a
problem. Without GPSS, an STEC might as well be a decades-old
Autocontrol/Altimatic - it will hunt so much in nav track mode that you
will wind up just using it in heading hold mode.

I'm not that impressed with the altitude hold function. The
installation I've seen lacks auto-trim. I would say that if you have a
Mooney without electric trim, the altitude hold is not worth buying.
If the air is smooth, a properly trimmed plane will hold altitude
anyway. If it's not, constantly retrimming when the thing beeps at you
isn't any less work than just holding altitude manually.

Michael

I have the STEC30 in my C172, although no GPS steer since I doon't have
a GPS (that will be changing next month). As for the A/P I must say
that it is fabulous, imho. I don't have any experience with any other
A/P so I can't compare, but I can't imagine what more I could want
unless it was one with alt preselect and some o ther bells and
whistles. I figure I need to do some of the flying.
I don't understand the other writer's comment about the alt hold. Mine
holds flawlessly; no drift or variation at all, and it engages
immediately. Whether IFR or VFR, I would recommend it without
reservation. I also can't understand not having the alt hold; being
able to rely on the A/P to keep the alt lets me be comfortable while I
fold a map or reach in to the back seat without worrying that I'll
gradually and imperceptibly descend or bust an IFR altitude while my
attention is momentarily diverted. I agree that a perfectly trimmed
plane will theoretically fly nice and straight nut there always seems
to be something that changes what the trim should be as I fly along.
Also, a you know, the STEC is based on the electric turn coordinator,
so provides a huge safety cushion if (when) your vacuum system goes
haywire. How nice it is to know that the A/P will keep me straight and
level when the vacuum goes out!!

Jon,

we have the 50 in our Tobago. Great unit! Trim on the altitude hold is
a non-issue - you'd engage it only in trimmed condition anyway, so
there never is any "constantly adjusting the trim". The "electric
back-up" is reassuring.

GPSS is nice to have, but once you have it you realize how few bends
you have to fly anymore with GPS direct routings, so the thing rarely
gets a chance to do its magic. When it does, it is great fun to watch.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Jon Kraus wrote:
Thinking about putting a STEC-30 with the GPS Steer in our '79 Mooney
M20J. Anyone have one of these that would care to give a PIREP? We are
located in the Inidianapolis area so fi yu know a good shop we'd
appreciate it. Thanks!!

A number of my fellow Navion owners have that autopilot. I've got the
55X with GPSS. They're happy with theirs, I'm more than happy with
mine. Can't help you with a shop in Indiana (got a good one here in
Virginia if you want to come that far). GPSS is way cool. What do
you have for a GPS?

Ron,
We a Garmin 430 GPS in the Mooney. Now I am getting kinda excited about
getting an AP installed. Whatever we end up with will have the GPSS
installed. I figure that for the money the GPSS is a great deal.

Jon Kraus

Ron Natalie wrote:
Jon Kraus wrote:

Thinking about putting a STEC-30 with the GPS Steer in our '79 Mooney
M20J. Anyone have one of these that would care to give a PIREP? We are
located in the Inidianapolis area so fi yu know a good shop we'd
appreciate it. Thanks!!


A number of my fellow Navion owners have that autopilot. I've got the
55X with GPSS. They're happy with theirs, I'm more than happy with
mine. Can't help you with a shop in Indiana (got a good one here in
Virginia if you want to come that far). GPSS is way cool. What do
you have for a GPS?

I have the Model 30 in my Arrow and it's worth its weight in gold for
creating an easy flight. The one thing I did find disconcerting is
that, if it's raining, water somehow gets into the static system (my
guess). This causes small altimeter excursions (200-300 feet)and the
STEC starts to follow the excursions. I need to follow up with STEC on
this.

On 17 Jun 2005 06:43:59 -0700, "Paul kgyy"
wrote:

I have the Model 30 in my Arrow and it's worth its weight in gold for
creating an easy flight. The one thing I did find disconcerting is
that, if it's raining, water somehow gets into the static system (my
guess). This causes small altimeter excursions (200-300 feet)and the
STEC starts to follow the excursions. I need to follow up with STEC on
this.

Read these old thread(s) started by yours truly about my Cherokee's
altimeter oscillating in IMC and/or rain conditions, it may be of use
to your situation.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?T2061284B
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J3164284B

#2. Some of the Cherokee models had a static sump point with a
release valve. Mine does not, but I believe if yours has it - it is
along the left sidewall by the rear passenger's legs. Jay Honeck
discovered this on his Warrior (or was it on the Pathfinder?), either
way he can probably help...

-Nathan

Nathan Young wrote:
B

#2. Some of the Cherokee models had a static sump point with a
release valve. Mine does not, but I believe if yours has it - it is
along the left sidewall by the rear passenger's legs. Jay Honeck
discovered this on his Warrior (or was it on the Pathfinder?), either
way he can probably help...

If I recall the Arrow I used to fly, it's down low on the left side wall
just forward of the pilot's seat, but I may be remembering it wrong.

Ron Natalie wrote:
Nathan Young wrote:
B


#2. Some of the Cherokee models had a static sump point with a
release valve. Mine does not, but I believe if yours has it - it is
along the left sidewall by the rear passenger's legs. Jay Honeck
discovered this on his Warrior (or was it on the Pathfinder?), either
way he can probably help...

If I recall the Arrow I used to fly, it's down low on the left side wall
just forward of the pilot's seat, but I may be remembering it wrong.

My Turbo Arrow IV has two of them low on the left sidewall and
so far back that it's difficult to press them during preflight
if you're already seated. There is one of the valves for the
dynamic (pitot) pressure line and one for the static line.

--

Tauno Voipio (OH-PYM at EFHF)
tauno voipio (at) iki fi