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.
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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.
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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.
 
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.
 
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