Cheapest way to add wing leveler to warrior II?

hindsight2020

hindsight2020

Final Approach
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hindsight2020
Folks,

Looking for more bang for the buck on my 110knot magic carpet. Anybody knows the cheapest way to add a wing leveler autopilot capability to my warrior II?

Does anybody know if those century I systems were optional equipment for the pa28-161? Figured saves a bunch of paperwork on the installation.

Also, can anybody give me the rundown on the different piper autopilots? I like the idea of a rate-based autopilot all-electric autopilot over a vacuum dependent system. I know I've seen those century Is on grummans, are these also the kind that came with pipers? My understanding on those "autocontrol" piper series autopilots is that they're driven by vacuum gyros and require a specific DG to run them? I rather just take out the TC I have and only have to install a servo and TC rather than overhaul my whole vaccuum setup just to gain a wing leveler. That seems too expensive for the trouble.

Just looking for the cheapest way into a wing leveler, 4 hour legs are killing me at the speed of smell in IMC. Thanks!
 
Brittain made factory-fit Utopias for Bech and Mooney for years. They are vacuum-actuated, stone simple and robust. Good outfit.
 
I've seen plenty of Century II/III's on Pipers with the "Autocontrol/Autoflite" names, and yes, they're based on the AI making them vacuum-dependent, but never a Century I, which is the all-electric/rate-based unit in the series. Don't know if it was ever an option. That said, if the Century folks have an STC for the PA28's, the paperwork issue is solved regardless.

If you want an all-electric/rate-based system, it's pretty much either that or the S-Tec 20. Personally, I've flown a good bit with both in Grummans, and I think the S-Tec is a much better unit, and I'm sure it's STC'd for your plane.

I'm sure you're thinking that having that wing-leveler in event of a vacuum failure would be really nice instead of an autopilot that bombs out when you need help most, and I support that thinking. For those who have vacuum-dependent autopilots, I strongly encourage replacing the TC with one of the electric backup AI's like the Castleberry so you still have a real AI if the vacuum system dies and you have to handfly it.
 
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Brittain.

Installed one on a Cherokee 140 a while back, then the following year added the heading hold DG.

Nice piece of kit
 
Ron Levy said:
I've seen plenty of Century II/III's on Pipers with the "Autocontrol/Autoflite" names, and yes, they're based on the AI making them vacuum-dependent, but never a Century I, which is the all-electric/rate-based unit in the series. Don't know if it was ever an option. That said, if the Century folks have an STC for the PA28's, the paperwork issue is solved regardless.

If you want an all-electric/rate-based system, it's pretty much either that or the S-Tec 20. Personally, I've flown a good bit with both in Grummans, and I think the S-Tec is a much better unit, and I'm sure it's STC'd for your plane.

I'm sure you're thinking that having that wing-leveler in event of a vacuum failure would be really nice instead of an autopilot that bombs out when you need help most, and I support that thinking. For those who have vacuum-dependent autopilots, I strongly encourage replacing the TC with one of the electric backup AI's like the Castleberry so you still have a real AI if the vacuum system dies and you have to handfly it.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's exactly my thinking. I'll take a look at STCs for either of these units and price out the differences. They should do the trick.
 
Does anyone make a "portable" AP? Sounds like an opportunity. I would bet a simple wingleveler with non-permanent and easily detached or over-ridden attachment to a yoke (taking the datastream from a non-cert GPS) would be a "hit".
 
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