Retrofit autopilot allowed?

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skipnsb

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skipnsb
I have a first year Cessna 177, for which there were a limited number of factory available autopilots. For later years, there are some better factory installed units. All fg Cardinals (177, 177A, and 177B) have the same TCDS.

Is it legal to use a later year factory installed autopilot on my 177 since its the same TCDS?

Thank you Skip Simpson
 
Is there any reason you are limiting yourself to factory-installed types? None of those re even in production.

Century and S-Tec each have very good autopilots which are STCd for the 177 line.
 
If it's on the original equipment list for the model you have, it can be legally installed without further ado. If it's only on later models, you'll need an STC or field approval. The fact that several different models are on the same TCDS is not sufficient. Keep in mind that several significant aerodynamic changes were made to the original 177 Cardinal, so those other autopilots have never been flight-tested with your aircraft's design.
 
skipnsb said:
I have a first year Cessna 177, for which there were a limited number of factory available autopilots. For later years, there are some better factory installed units. All fg Cardinals (177, 177A, and 177B) have the same TCDS.

Is it legal to use a later year factory installed autopilot on my 177 since its the same TCDS?

Thank you Skip Simpson
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AFaIK as long as the TCDS doesn't specify which serial#s can have a particular option listed in the TC then the option can be installed on any serial #s that the TCDS applies to (exclusive). If you were dealing with a STC or AML your serial # would have to be specifically included in one of those documents for it to apply (inclusive).
 
You'd need to see if Cessna provides any documentation on installing post-factory autopilots. Just because an autopilot was OFFERED as a factory option is NOT authority to install one now.

As has already been pointed out, there are modern autopilots that are available that will almost certainly work better for you that are STC'd for your plane.
 
gismo said:
AFaIK as long as the TCDS doesn't specify which serial#s can have a particular option listed in the TC then the option can be installed on any serial #s that the TCDS applies to (exclusive).
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Actually, many of them do. You can't just install an O-360-A4K engine on an AA-5A even though the AA-5A is on the same TCDS as an AA-5B. The models each have their own authorized set of equipment, and the same is true for the Cessna 177 series -- you can't just slap the 177B's engine on a 177 without an STC or field approval. Ditto the autopilots -- the 177 really is a different make/model than the 177B even though it's on the same TCDS.
 
Ron Levy said:
Actually, many of them do. You can't just install an O-360-A4K engine on an AA-5A even though the AA-5A is on the same TCDS as an AA-5B. The models each have their own authorized set of equipment, and the same is true for the Cessna 177 series -- you can't just slap the 177B's engine on a 177 without an STC or field approval. Ditto the autopilots -- the 177 really is a different make/model than the 177B even though it's on the same TCDS.
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Agreed. That's why I said this only works if the autopilot is listed on the TCDS in a way that doesn't exclude the aircraft in question.
 
It's MOOT, as I pointed out there are no autopilots on either the 177 or the 177 RG TCDS.
Period. If Cessna chose to put one in as a factory option, that's legal. If they provide data for a subsequent installation of one, then fine.

Autopilots in certificated aircraft are one of the things the FAA is specifically wary about. You'd have an easier time doing an engine swap than trying to pass off an autopilot.
 
Thank you all for the thoughts. I am budget limited. Any FAA issues with installing one of the autopilots that is optional on the original equipment list?

Skip Simpson
 
skipnsb said:
Thank you all for the thoughts. I am budget limited. Any FAA issues with installing one of the autopilots that is optional on the original equipment list?
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The only issue would be getting from Cessna the approved data for the installation, and I have no idea how hard/easy/expensive that might be.
 
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