Chelton AP-3C Auto Pilot

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
Is anyone flying with one of these? I got some questions.

I've got a some of the basic functions figured out (follow heading bug, ALT hold, and follow GPS once you're on the magenta line), but today's "exploration" flight brought up other scenarios that didn't work as desired.

I've found the pilots guide from an online source, but that's a bit light on the info to teach the system.
 
(bump) tis quiet... too quiet...
 
From the absence of responses, am I to conclude our club aircraft the only one equipped with this autopilot?
 
wow... no one responded...

bumping for one last attempt.
 
I do not currently get the pleasure of flying anything fancy enough to have an auto pilot.
 
mike why don't you flfy it and tell us about it. I have not heard of it. what does it cost?
 
AggieMike88 said:
Is anyone flying with one of these? I got some questions.

I've got a some of the basic functions figured out (follow heading bug, ALT hold, and follow GPS once you're on the magenta line), but today's "exploration" flight brought up other scenarios that didn't work as desired.

I've found the pilots guide from an online source, but that's a bit light on the info to teach the system.
Click to expand...

I've not flown with one... that said, if you can send me a link to the pilot's guide, I'm pretty experienced in mapping out what an autopilot does by RTFM, and I do have a fair amount of experience in teaching pilots how to "think like their autopilot".
 
Tony_Scarpelli said:
mike why don't you flfy it and tell us about it. I have not heard of it. what does it cost?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, it's an "orphaned" product no longer in production.

It was one of the first digital AP's on the market. Somethings happened, and STEC purchased the assets and closed out production.

Pilot's info document can be found online, but, as many documentations, it's more a description of what the features are versus "for this scenario, your button/knob sequence is..."

I've got HDG bug and ALT hold figured out. But when I try to capture the NAV mode (so I can follow the GPS waypoints) it turns me 90 degrees to the line and flies through it.

I do need to find me a safety pilot who will be my eyes inside the cockpit, reading the manual, and then we go find our piece of nowhere and see if we can fly and puzzle this out.
 

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TMetzinger said:
I've not flown with one... that said, if you can send me a link to the pilot's guide, I'm pretty experienced in mapping out what an autopilot does by RTFM, and I do have a fair amount of experience in teaching pilots how to "think like their autopilot".
Click to expand...

Thanks Tim. See the link in the post above this (where I replied to Tony_S)
 
Pay close attention to the need to set the HDG bug to the course you're trying to track as shown on page 17.

If you're doing this and the autopilot is still turning 90 to intercept, then I suspect some sort of installation problem OR that something is broken.
 
Are you trying to couple to GPS or VOR?

AggieMike88 said:
Unfortunately, it's an "orphaned" product no longer in production.

It was one of the first digital AP's on the market. Somethings happened, and STEC purchased the assets and closed out production.

Pilot's info document can be found online, but, as many documentations, it's more a description of what the features are versus "for this scenario, your button/knob sequence is..."

I've got HDG bug and ALT hold figured out. But when I try to capture the NAV mode (so I can follow the GPS waypoints) it turns me 90 degrees to the line and flies through it.

I do need to find me a safety pilot who will be my eyes inside the cockpit, reading the manual, and then we go find our piece of nowhere and see if we can fly and puzzle this out.
Click to expand...
 
My suggestion is to pull up some of the other manufacturer's manuals and see if there isn't some ideas there. On my STEC 60-2, when using the HSI, pressing the HDG and NAV buttons together makes the AP act differently than if you select HDG and then push NAV separately. If you are fishing for ideas...

There should be an AFM or POH supplement as well, shouldn't there be?


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wabower said:
Is OBS set to desired course for route segment or DIR to the station?

[/B]
Click to expand...

I don't recall,

Perhaps I come find you someday soon and we can work on this together.
 
Last edited:
AggieMike88 said:
I don't recall,

Perhaps I come find you someday soon and we can work on this together.
Click to expand...

Wayne will make it work through sheer force of will, and crabby (yet compellingly amusing) nature.
 
APFD's can't be molly-coddled. Cussing them works best with a deep voice.

SCCutler said:
Wayne will make it work through sheer force of will, and crabby (yet compellingly amusing) nature.
Click to expand...
 
Mike,

I have an AP-3C in my Cardinal. This plane was used to develop the STC for Cardinals. In my experience, it does not hold altitude well when it gets turbulent. I suspect it is too sensitive to static pressure changes. Today, I experienced a problem where, after pressing the AP Disconnect switch, and hearing the disconnect tone, it apparently did not fully disconnect & still tried to roll-steer, causing quite a problem controlling the plane. If I had the wereforall to switch off the AP master switch, I think the problem would have gone away. I'm still investigating.

What are you experiencing? Do you know of AP-3C-knowledgeable shops?

Mike
 
One thing I can tell you is some autopilots work better with the GPS if the GPS is set to the most sensitive. Mine has 5, 1 and .3 miles per tick and it works better to have the GPS set to .3 or "approach" setting.
 
Does the plane have a NAV/GPS toggle switch for one CDI and is it set to GPS? If I had a nickel for for every time I forgot to change it...
 
I use a chelton ap3c autopilot in my siai marchetti and fly hard ifr with it without any problems. it is linked with a garmin 430 and a sandel ehsi.
it perfectly tracks gps routes, hold altitude and follow ILS or LPV glides.
the only issue is roll oscillations in heading mode after 2 minutes.
The software version is 1.1.
it seems that Stec would hold some parts and provides limited support.
 
coloradobluesky said:
One thing I can tell you is some autopilots work better with the GPS if the GPS is set to the most sensitive. Mine has 5, 1 and .3 miles per tick and it works better to have the GPS set to .3 or "approach" setting.
Click to expand...

Yes!! I have an old Brittain autopilot in my Mooney. When I purchased the aircraft the autopilot was not working at all so I had it repaired by Brittain for less than $500. After that it worked O.K. But not great. It would wonder a bit off course before it would correct again back to center line. Someone suggested I switch the CDI resolution in my GPS from 5 miles ( normal for enroute) to .3 miles. Wow!! It now flies that magenta line like its on rails. On a 400 mile trip I have not seen a cross track error of more than .025 miles. Made all the difference in the world.

To the original poster, what does your AP do if you are tracking the centerline to a waypoint, click on "direct to" on your GPS and "enter" so as to recenter the CDI, and then engage the AP? Does it still try to turn?


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