Buttonology

FORANE

FORANE

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FORANE
I am currently installing a Garmin G5 with GMC 507 autopilot control coupled to a GNS 430w.
It has me wondering, what is the best way to learn buttonology on new to you avionics?
No simulator exists for the G5 or autopilot that I know of.
 
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I spent most of my career in immerging technology software companies. We were constantly developing and adding new features that had to be learned. Some people need a classroom setting, but most people learned most of it by the Columbus Method, discover and land. They would see a button, an icon, a field, a setting,...... and poke it to see what happens. In the case of aviation technology there is an added sense of caution that is required so do your poking and experimenting while on the ground for the most part.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
RTFM?
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Like MBDiagMan said, different people work differently. That (RTFM) works for some people, and is an essential part of learning, but I an a follower of the "Columbus" method.

My wife, and most women I know are devoted RTFM followers.
 
RTFM never works for me. I am tactile but that is the response I would expect if I asked here.
I added the "?" to make it feel less RTFM! (implied snark) and more RTFM? + Some emojie w/ one eyebrow raised.
 
Long cross-country and the quick-start manual.
 
507 autopilot control with 430W approaches is mostly where I could see myself getting tripped up.
 
FORANE said:
I am currently installing a Garmin G5 with GMC 507 autopilot control coupled to a GNS 430w.
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Mostly OT but I was curious, how tall does that GMC507 (GFC500) sit in the stack? I've seen pictures that make it seem huge.
 
Grab your favorite safety pilot and let them fly from the right seat while you futz around with the gizmos. Shouldn't take more than a couple hours to get the basics.
 
Forgot to mention, see if you can get some training materials for the GFC700. That one has been around for a while and works very similar to the GFC500.
 
Just over 2 inches tall. While it may be installed in a radio stack it doesn't have to be. It may be installed anywhere in the panel without a tray. just cut out the panel opening and the gmc 507 has a retaining clip on the sides that may be tightened against the back side of the panel.
 
FORANE said:
Just over 2 inches tall. While it may be installed in a radio stack it doesn't have to be. It may be installed anywhere in the panel without a tray. just cut out the panel opening and the gmc 507 has a retaining clip on the sides that may be tightened against the back side of the panel.
Click to expand...
Ah, so you are saying that it's only an inch or so deep and not very heavy? Interesting...
 
asicer said:
Ah, so you are saying that it's only an inch or so deep and not very heavy? Interesting...
Click to expand...

About 2 inches from what I remember seeing in my avionics shop, compared to my century 2000 that is a foot long and needs a tray to mount and about 10 times heavy.
 
asicer said:
Ah, so you are saying that it's only an inch or so deep and not very heavy? Interesting...
Click to expand...
Yes exactly. maybe 1.5 inches deep and under a pound - guessing.
 
Bumping my old thread for a PIREP. G5 and GMC507 is installed and coupled with a 430W. I have RTFM as @SixPapaCharlie suggested. I have searched out youtube videos trying to gain insight into using the autopilot with approaches, missed, etc. I have flown with it for probably 30 plus hours. I have tweaked the settings in flight until we were nauseous. I have been in email contact with g3xpert many times in attempt to improve its performance. Unfortunately, g3xpert advised they were stumped.

The autopilot will hold course and altitude fairly well in ALT mode in level flight except when we had anything to upset straight and level - updraft/downdraft, cloud layer nearby, mountain ridges nearby, even moving in the cockpit can produce a 500 fpm climb or descent.

On climbout with NAV & IAS set for 110 kts & altitude of 8500 selected, at about 1000 feet I engaged the autopilot. It oscillated up and down significantly and my wife objected. I turned it off, climbed a bit by hand, selected 120 kts as IAS, and re-engaged autopilot. It oscillated from IAS of about 128 kts then down to about 106 kts repeating the oscillation pattern. The vertical speed during this time went from +2000 fpm to -700 fpm. This was in perfectly calm morning conditions.

Even at 100% torque setting for the pitch servo, I can very easily overpower the servo with one finger on the stick or elevator. Not sure if that is indicative of a bad servo.

There are times when the elevator servo doesn't do what I have set it to do. Not sure if I have set it incorrectly or it's just not responding properly.

In any case, we're quite disappointed with it. After reading many positive reviews I figured I would try one. At this point we're looking at removing it and reinstalling a Trio. At least the Trio held altitude reliably, I could trust it and didn't wonder what it was doing.
 
Autopilots can be really challenging buggers, that's why it takes so long to get them approved in certified aircraft. Pulley friction, flexing brackets, turbulence, flight control balances, cable tensions, fuel imbalances, weight changes all can mess up an autopilot on the verge of oscillation.

Heck turbulence near a static port could raise hell.

I hope you get it figured out quickly. I've really enjoyed flying the GFC500 in a 182
 
Thank you Brian. A 182 is a pretty stable platform that takes significant yoke travel to change pitch. My Lancair produces significant pitch change with very slight stick movement fore or aft. Maybe 1 inch stick travel in my Lancair would be equivalent to 6 inches travel in the 182. I feel certain this challenges any autopilot and is playing a role in the issues with the G autopilot. For whatever reason the Trio did better with alt hold in my plane even though it did worse with climbs or descents. One key advantage of the Trio is it allows the pilot to turn on or off servos individually. In other words, you can turn off the elevator servo and manually adjust your altitude as desired then turn on the alt hold again, all the while with the roll servo engaged.
 
RTFM, make a quick reference cheat sheet for basic operations, then go fly some typical operations to help learn the motor skills. Use the cheat sheet as a crutch until you have it down. I keep a self-made quick reference on my clipboard for the GNS-430 for when the rust starts to creep in. (Direct-direct-enter or Direct-enter enter?) RTFM is fine, even essential, but not the same as performing motor skills. That's kind of like reading about ice skating and expecting to be a figure skater.
 
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