Aspen and EA100… The good, bad, and ugly?

ChucktheTruck

ChucktheTruck

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Display name:
Dave
Hello everyone… Just doing some research into a future panel upgrade and I’ve seen and heard ALOT of negative stuff about the EA100 interface into legacy autopilots. I’m aware of the EA100 reliability issues and the display failures I’m wondering if these are a thing of the past now or if it’s still a problem.

That being said most of it seems second hand info… can someone who actually flies with an Aspen/EA100/Legacy autopilot chime in with their real world experience with the setup?

I have a Century 2000 and it’s been running great so I’d hate to euthanize it early for a GFC or STEC at the moment. I know what the new Autopilots are capable of but I’m still comfortable with what I have. I’ve played around with both the GI-275s and G5’s and like the layout and presentation of the Aspen as it reminds me of Proline 21 aircraft I flew in the past.

Thanks everyone!
 
ChucktheTruck said:
Hello everyone… Just doing some research into a future panel upgrade and I’ve seen and heard ALOT of negative stuff about the EA100 interface into legacy autopilots. I’m aware of the EA100 reliability issues and the display failures I’m wondering if these are a thing of the past now or if it’s still a problem.
Click to expand...
I fly with two of those [EA100 w/old original autopilot]. Never heard of those issues and never had those issues. I did the upgrade once, liked it so did it again on a second airplane.
KAP150 & Altimatic IIIc [both will fly coupled approaches]
I can not think of anything that I want to do with either of the autopilots which I am unable to do. Which is not to say the newer modern autopilots do not have additional capabilities but rather I do not see those as anything that would be of significant interest and for me personally not worth the cost given that my [very] old legacy autopilots continue to function.

Your autopilot is a lot newer than mine so I am not sure how similar this would be to my configurations?

Would you care to post your current panel with a proposed revised panel layout to get a better idea of what you are thinking for upgrade possibilities?

EDIT: @ChucktheTruck - I saw your earlier post. Are you still considering the GI-275 vs the Aspen or have you made your decision on which PFD to go with?
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/gi-275-and-century-2000.140346/
 
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I have never been an Aspen fan and recommend you look at other products available to day.
 
I’ve always said I’d never buy an aspen. But my new to me plane had one and I ended up deciding to put in the mfd to supplement it rather than replacing it, so now I have two.

I still wouldn’t put a new one in, but obviously I’d add a second one if one is already there….


They have a lot of functionality, but there are other better options if starting from scratch IMO.
 
I don't fly it, not multi-rated, but just did an Aspen 2000 (PFD/MFD) in a Piper Chieftain. I have gone with the pilot several times, and the KFC200 integrated with it works very well. Biggest potential hurdle is to ensure your autopilot is configured to work with KI525 HSI. If it's not now, for ~$300, autopilots central will reconfigure your board so it will communicate with the Aspen system.

I've done several Aspen installs, finishing another now, if you have questions from that side of things.
 
In the end Aspen costs more to both acquire and install than Garmin. If you buy the entry versions on Aspen you are nickeled and dimed $500 each for several of the highly desirable feature unlocks. Also zero path to a fully digital A/P like the GFC-500.

Plus the company is arrogant as heck to talk too (in my experience). Best to get quotes for both Garmin and Aspen then compare.
 
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Thanks for the inputs everyone… I have some things to mull over. @Mongoose Aviator I’m still undecided… I flew in a plane with an Aspen and I liked the functionality of it. Originally I was going to go all in with the GFC-600 and dual GI-275’s but decided to just hold on to the Century a little while longer…. I’m sure after I post this it’ll become inoperative on my next flight. But yeah.. obviously it comes down to the GI-275s and Aspen. I’m not looking for a full panel refresh just a reliable option to ditch the vacuum system that’ll work with my legacy AP.
 
I have an Aspen 1000 Pro (not MAX), KAP-150 autopilot and an EA-100.

It works fine. I considered doing a trade in and go to an Aspen 2000 Pro MAX, but with the price and wait time (shop not Aspen), I decided to go to a Garmin glass and GFC-500 autopilot
 
Bought a plane with an Aspen and ea100, had the ea100 fail after 14 hours, replaced it, and had it fail again after 22 hours.

The redraw of the display is also painfully slow, so much though that it's difficult to hand fly behind it in IMC. By comparison the G5 next to it is smooth as butter. Having flown behind the G3X, G5, GI 275, g500, and g500 txi I would not recommend the Aspen, and I'm having mine removed very shortly.
 
SloRoam said:
Bought a plane with an Aspen and ea100, had the ea100 fail after 14 hours, replaced it, and had it fail again after 22 hours.

The redraw of the display is also painfully slow, so much though that it's difficult to hand fly behind it in IMC. By comparison the G5 next to it is smooth as butter. Having flown behind the G3X, G5, GI 275, g500, and g500 txi I would not recommend the Aspen, and I'm having mine removed very shortly.
Click to expand...

Which Aspen? 1000? 1000 Pro? 1000 Pro MAX?

I have a 1000 Pro, and it is not slow to redraw.
 
ChucktheTruck said:
Hello everyone… Just doing some research into a future panel upgrade and I’ve seen and heard ALOT of negative stuff about the EA100 interface into legacy autopilots. I’m aware of the EA100 reliability issues and the display failures I’m wondering if these are a thing of the past now or if it’s still a problem.

That being said most of it seems second hand info… can someone who actually flies with an Aspen/EA100/Legacy autopilot chime in with their real world experience with the setup?

I have a Century 2000 and it’s been running great so I’d hate to euthanize it early for a GFC or STEC at the moment. I know what the new Autopilots are capable of but I’m still comfortable with what I have. I’ve played around with both the GI-275s and G5’s and like the layout and presentation of the Aspen as it reminds me of Proline 21 aircraft I flew in the past.

Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
I had an Aspen E5 with EA100 tied to an Altimatic IIIc in my PA32. It was perfect. Never gave me a bit of trouble. Sold the plane but worked great for the 4 years I owned it.
 
SloRoam said:
The redraw of the display is also painfully slow, so much though that it's difficult to hand fly behind it in IMC.
Click to expand...
I have a Pro MAX PFD (part of an Aspen 2500 MAX 3-screen system). The display update rate is perfectly fine on mine.

- Martin
 
aspen pro, zero issues. would take an aspen over g5 any day of the week, although I don't think the g5's suck.
 
Just to add my experience with my Aspen Pro 1000 and my Legacy Century 2B( Piper Autocontrol 3B), the connection to the Aspen has actually made the performance and reliability of my autopilot so much better. I am no longer chasing failures of the autopilot compatible DG which was seemingly frequent ( In fact, the last DG failure prompted me to put in my Aspen, and voila, like magic, problem solved then and going forward). As long as the connectors were replaced, no complaints whatsoever.
However, I have no experience with the EA100, which is what you were asking about. Instead of paying for it, I have retained my vacuum system an deemed that vacuum AI to both input to my autopilot and serve as my backup.
 
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eman1200 said:
aspen pro, zero issues. would take an aspen over g5 any day of the week, although I don't think the g5's suck.
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Ironically, I've gotten the dread red X on the aspen, but never the G5.
 
Ha
 
eman1200 said:
aspen pro, zero issues. would take an aspen over g5 any day of the week, although I don't think the g5's suck.
Click to expand...

I have the 1000 Pro with a G5 right next to it (how it was when I bought it). I find myself looking at the G5 more than the Aspen.

I almost went to G2000 Pro Max, but considering the 8 month wait for a shop appointment, I think I am going G3X.
 
I had a 1000 pro driving an s Tec 30 with gpss and alt hold. Never any problems. Changed planes and now have two G5s waiting for an auto pilot to be approved for a Cessna 150
 
NordicDave said:
In the end Aspen costs more to both acquire and install than Garmin. If you buy the entry versions on Aspen you are nickeled and dimed $500 each for several of the highly desirable feature unlocks. Also zero path to a fully digital A/P like the GFC-500.

Plus the company is arrogant as heck to talk too (in my experience). Best to get quotes for both Garmin and Aspen then compare.
Click to expand...

I believe the Aspen works with the Avidyne DFC90 which I really like. Mine was connected to the Avidyne panel not the Aspen so I can't say first hand how that works, but the reviews I've read were universally positive.

I did have one of the first Aspens installed connected to an STEC-50 autopilot. It worked very well too.
 
I love the Aspen units…. I fly with Garmin, and many others. It’s a wonderful package.

I do wish though they could get their **** together and get them more reliable however… Just had a new one installed, it does a in air reboot about once every 5 hours. Hadn’t had time to take it to a dealer. I hate all these companies that make you go to a dealer instead of working direct with the customer. Maybe I’m
just foul…
 
That shouldn’t happen. Definitely talk to customer service to get ideas to suggest to your installer. I had an experience where my autopilot was making more rapid bank corrections after install, but not ridiculously so. After flying for awhile, it took my friend to point out that was not right. I called customer support and got the whole story, and was able to lead my installer down the correct path to a solution. Your problem is not so subtle!
 
Skymac said:
I love the Aspen units…. I fly with Garmin, and many others. It’s a wonderful package.

I do wish though they could get their **** together and get them more reliable however… Just had a new one installed, it does a in air reboot about once every 5 hours. Hadn’t had time to take it to a dealer. I hate all these companies that make you go to a dealer instead of working direct with the customer. Maybe I’m
just foul…
Click to expand...
I actually have a more specific hint for you. One thing to check is if your stationary air speed on the Aspen on the ground is 0, (or possibly the wind component that your a/c is heading into- that may be the correct way to set it?) My aircraft had it set 20-30 kts off. So sometimes on the ground, the Aspen would give me red Xs after startup.This was seemingly sporadic. The Aspen cross checks in its algorithm the wind speed with gps speed. So depending on the wind component, if I had a minor wind component, or contrast that with a greatly exaggerated one if additive to the set error, Red Xs. The Aspen is cross checking your forward IAS with its GPS ground speed when flying. See where this is going? A call to customer service will clarify this and other settings that need to be corrected.
(If no success, ask for Mike Studwell at Aspen. He helped me.)
 
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Just my experience. I have 2500MAX and Stec 50. Several hundred hours and no issues with the AP.
 
Tom J said:
I don't fly it, not multi-rated, but just did an Aspen 2000 (PFD/MFD) in a Piper Chieftain. I have gone with the pilot several times, and the KFC200 integrated with it works very well. Biggest potential hurdle is to ensure your autopilot is configured to work with KI525 HSI. If it's not now, for ~$300, autopilots central will reconfigure your board so it will communicate with the Aspen system.

I've done several Aspen installs, finishing another now, if you have questions from that side of things.
Click to expand...
Hi Tom

have read you have done several Apen EA100 installations.

Since I have the EA100 installed I am dealing with some pitch pumping. The Aspen tools helped a little but I always ended up to reduce the gain significant from the King KFC200 setting. The manual says 6V at 10 degrees but I always have to reduce to around 5-5.1 V. Otherwise I have the pitch pump. Its a Mooney M20J.

Do you have any other option what I could try.

Thanks
Christopher
 
Christopher,
First thing would be to ensure the panel tilt is set properly. You'll have to get the plane jacked and leveled to a level flight attitude, and set the ball pitch and roll to indicate straight and level. If that is already set properly, there is a tech note that can be used to set the pitch scale. That is supposed to take out pitch pulsing. Last thought would be has the KC295 been looked at? Autopilots Central in Tulsa is pretty good with them. There are certain settings required, and they have the ability to do all that. Just make sure they know what it's in for, and that it is configured for a KI525 interface. We had to have ours repaired during the install in the PA31.

Hope it helps,
Tom
 
Mongoose Aviator said:
I fly with two of those [EA100 w/old original autopilot]. Never heard of those issues and never had those issues. I did the upgrade once, liked it so did it again on a second airplane.
KAP150 & Altimatic IIIc [both will fly coupled approaches]
I can not think of anything that I want to do with either of the autopilots which I am unable to do. Which is not to say the newer modern autopilots do not have additional capabilities but rather I do not see those as anything that would be of significant interest and for me personally not worth the cost given that my [very] old legacy autopilots continue to function.

Your autopilot is a lot newer than mine so I am not sure how similar this would be to my configurations?

Would you care to post your current panel with a proposed revised panel layout to get a better idea of what you are thinking for upgrade possibilities?

EDIT: @ChucktheTruck - I saw your earlier post. Are you still considering the GI-275 vs the Aspen or have you made your decision on which PFD to go with?
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/gi-275-and-century-2000.140346/
Click to expand...
I get it autopilots a stupid expensive, but the Altimatic IIIc is 1970 technology. The KAP 150 moves you up to 1980. At some point it is putting lipstick on a pig.
 
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Tom J said:
Christopher,
First thing would be to ensure the panel tilt is set properly. You'll have to get the plane jacked and leveled to a level flight attitude, and set the ball pitch and roll to indicate straight and level. If that is already set properly, there is a tech note that can be used to set the pitch scale. That is supposed to take out pitch pulsing. Last thought would be has the KC295 been looked at? Autopilots Central in Tulsa is pretty good with them. There are certain settings required, and they have the ability to do all that. Just make sure they know what it's in for, and that it is configured for a KI525 interface. We had to have ours repaired during the install in the PA31.

Hope it helps,
Tom
Click to expand...
Can you not measure panel tilt/roll without leveling so that it indicates true tilt as measured on the spar and leveling rivets on the pilots side, and then adjust the Aspen panel tilt setting in the PFD setup and then re-do the RSM calibration for that?
 
You could, but it would be a bit of a SWAG. Install manual calls for leveling to set tilt. If you have access to a set of jacks and the time, leveling is best. My last few have been major installs, and have had reweighs done, so they were level anyway.
 
Tom J said:
You could, but it would be a bit of a SWAG. Install manual calls for leveling to set tilt. If you have access to a set of jacks and the time, leveling is best. My last few have been major installs, and have had reweighs done, so they were level anyway.
Click to expand...
I was thinking in the Aspen setup menu there are adjustments for panel roll and tilt. When these are adjusted you see the actual output for the planes attitude above. If you have measure the exact attitude along the pilot side rivets per the leveling points with a digital gauge then adjusting the Aspen panel tilt so that the output matches the calibrated attitude then it should be as perfectly adjusted as leveling on jacks and setting zero pitch, correct? But of course would need to repeat the RSM calibration once that is done to get correct pitch and roll output to the AP computer.

My suspicion is that in a lot of these EA100 BK AP installs, the BK computer is expecting a slightly “slower” response from the analog gyro pitch voltage and the immediate response times of the EA100 throw off the computations slightly. At least in the KFC/KAP150 the pitch servo is all on or all off as I understand so the computer is constantly sending out signals to pitch up or down throwing off trim sensors and putting the AP into oscillations. That is why it seems like either adjusting the gains, or increasing the mV/deg output from 50 to say 55-60 smooths things out. Of course there is the tech note where there are some settings that increase the width of the null point that might be helpful but haven’t tried that.
 
Chris Berg said:
Hi Tom

have read you have done several Apen EA100 installations.

Since I have the EA100 installed I am dealing with some pitch pumping. The Aspen tools helped a little but I always ended up to reduce the gain significant from the King KFC200 setting. The manual says 6V at 10 degrees but I always have to reduce to around 5-5.1 V. Otherwise I have the pitch pump. Its a Mooney M20J.

Do you have any other option what I could try.

Thanks
Christopher
Click to expand...
Hi Chris, do you have the EA100 Tool / SD card file? It sure would come in handy to double check my gain settings against the installation table. I believe mine may be set too low.
 
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