Peter Jensen

[Peter Jensen]

Don,

To the best of my knowledge, Meyers 200 do not have electric trim. The GFC500 can be installed without an electric trim. When the system senses trim is required, a message comes on the screen… “Trim up” or “Trim Down”, and the pilot has to manually adjust.

Regarding cost, or price, it is expensive. Each owner needs to determine if an autopilot can be justified through usage. I found it to be worth every penny and minute spent to have a GNC500 installed.

[Peter Jensen]

I agree with Dennis Martin. Landing isn’t the issue. Takeoff out of a short field is the pucker manuever.

[Peter Jensen]

After many hours of flight in my aircraft using the GFC500, I report satisfactory performance. The unit does exactly what it is expected to do. Approaches are rock solid. Everyone, experienced pilots especially, are impressed.

Lateral fuel balance is key. In fact, a limitation. The manual says that there can be mo more than a 15 gallon fuel imbalance between wings.

My standard fuel load is full aux tanks, mains half full. I start my flights on the right main tank, level at cruise switch to aux. An hour into the flight I switch to the left aux (if a long flight), and fuel manage from there. Being as old as I am, I do not fly more than three hours due to bladder limits.

hope this helps.

[Peter Jensen]

I posted this elsewhere on this site, will repeat…

Update. After autopilot installation, it was apparent to me that a yaw damper was necessary. SteinAir installed a yaw damper, with FAA field approval, and unfortunately the Garmin unit was not up to the task. The servo was not strong enough to adjust for the torque on the Meyers. The yaw damper has since been uninstalled.
The spring tension in the rudder system was increased, the rudder bias in the rigging was adjusted, and now N2902T flies ball center in level flight. Right rudder is required right after takeoff and in initial climb.
Keep the ball centered!

[Peter Jensen]

Ed,

My aircraft had a Brittain AccuFlight II autopilot.That system was completely removed.

The technicians at SteinAir did all the engineering, fabrication, and paperwork.

Yes, there is a 337. I am hesitant to share this for a variety of reasons. Many parts were fabricated in house. To provide a parts list, and have other shops fabricate brackets and such is going to result in variations with installations. There is value in having standardization within a fleet. SteinAir has produced a fine product, it is hard for me to just give it away. One fear is another attempt may result in an unsafe outcome.

This is not say what SteinAir accomplished is perfect, or unlikely to be improved upon. There is always room for improvement. Build a better mousetrap so to speak.

It is very difficult for me to say a GFC-500 install in a Meyers 200 will be exactly, or even about, X dollars. There were unique circumstances to the work I had done. The vacuum system on my plane was removed prior to delivery to the shop. I assisted in the interior removal to allow access to the airframe. Additional Garmin equipment was purchased and installed, package discounts applied and made integration easier. Looking at my invoice, subtracting the GPS, Audio Panel, and GI-275 costs, the rough (wide ballpark) figure is approximately forty-thousand dollars ($40,000). That is a big number. Subsequent installs maybe less (or more?) since the first one is the most time consuming.

SteinAir was a joy to do business with. They may not be the least expensive, but they definitely are among the best of the best.

Hope this helps. Happy to answer any other questions.

Peter

[Peter Jensen]

Kevin,

I just had my Meyers weighed. ~ 830 pounds useful load available. My standard fuel load is a light top of the Aux tanks ~ 36 gals total, and about 8 gals in each main. I take off and climb on one main tank, cruise off the Aux tanks, descend and land on the other main tank. it works well for me.

Best, Peter

[Peter Jensen]

Pilot report.

A little background. I am a pilot, not any sort of technician. I have many hours of experience in autopilot operation. This does not make me an expert, just experienced. I do not know how autopilots are supposed to be perfectly set up. I do know what a poor/weak autopilot does, and how a good one performs.

In level flight, with a turn selected in heading mode, the roll in is smooth as is the roll out on desired heading.

I climb in Indicated Airspeed (IAS) mode and descend with Vertical Speed (VS). Again, the altitude capture is firm, smooth, and accurate. I do say, my plane has a two axis autopilot, so trim in manual. When altitude capture is established, a notification is given to trim the plane manually.

Cruise flight is a pilot dream. At cruise altitude, I turn the autopilot off, trim, and re-engage.

Approaches with the GFC-500 are exactly what we want. No wandering, no abrupt changes, solid flight exactly as published.

I flew the plane on March 7th to get a second pilot opinion. It was a windy, gusty day. Mt friend, who has more time operating Garmin Autopilots than I have total time, was impressed.

In the wind, the constant light chop, two pilots trying to make the device crack under pressure, it was rock solid.

No autopilot will hold on through a hurricane. The Garmin GFC-500 in the Meyers 200 is an excellent combination.

Thank you SteinAir!

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