The FAA has approved the application by the STC Group to add Piper Cherokee PA-28 aircraft to the list of certificated aircraft eligible for installation of the digital, two-axis “Pro Pilot” autopilot.
The Oct. 20, 2017, approval adds these popular Pipers to the complete line of Cessna 172s, 175s and 182s approved in connection with The STC Group’s initial STC application.
Orders are being taken now for delivery in three to four weeks, according to STC Group officials.
The certificated version of the Pro Pilot has all of the features at a moderate price that have made it a favorite of the experimental and amateur built aircraft market since it was introduced more than 12 years ago, according to company officials.
Features include: A control panel easily read in bright daylight, GPS steering, envelope protection (minimum and maximum airspeed limits), G force limits, course tracking, intercepting and paralleling, altitude climb/descend and hold with selectable rate of climb and a wing leveler and 180°.
According to STC Group officials, the Pro Pilot has smart servos that prevent any type of run-away and incorporate slip clutches that enable low effort manual override of the autopilot.
More than 3,000 of these autopilots are currently in experimental and amateur built aircraft.
The STC Group is working on approvals for a long list of other legacy aircraft, including Cessna Cardinals, 206s and 210s, the Grumman American fleet, Piper Comanches, and Mooneys.
I’ve been hoping to get one installed in my Cherokee since I first read about the Trio.
My understanding is that as of January 1, 2018, the STC group haw been issued the STC for the Trio Autopilot but no PMA exists for the install in the Cherokee.
Looks like I’ll continue waiting.
would like to know cost of autopilot fore my 78 pa-28-181
I’ve been flying with the Trio Pro Pilot for over 5 years, 400+flight hours, in my RV6A. It’s been a good system, no repairs required. I’ve been driving the roll axis with the RS-232 NEMA data stream from a Garmin 496. Very happy user.
I have a 1971 Cherokee 180 and curious about your newly approved autopilot.