The STC Group has received approval from the FAA to add the Cessna 177, Cessna 180 and Cessna 185 to its Supplemental Type Certificate model list for the Trio Avionics Corporation’s Pro Pilot autopilot.
With these additions, the autopilot STC now extends to Cessna 172, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, and Piper PA-28 models, according to company officials.
Applications for approval are nearing completion to add Cessna 195, Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six and Lance (non-T-Tail), and Grumman-American AA-5 types (Traveler, Cheetah and Tiger) to the STC before SUN ‘n FUN in early April, officials add.
The Cessna 195 and Grumman type clubs have been instrumental in providing technical assistance accelerating addition of those types to the approved model list, officials noted.
The Beech and Mooney single engine type clubs have adopted this same approach and similarly are volunteering to do support engineering work and to provide the prototype aircraft to get their types in the approval queue.
Thanks to a number of individual Comanche owners and technical gurus, the Piper Comanches are in mid-design phase with test flights planned for March, officials report.
Further, with the help of individual aircraft owners, design work on the Cessna 206 and 210 types is also scheduled to begin in March.
The STC Group — a virtual company — exists to deliver the capabilities and price points of the autopilots serving the Experimental market to the certified segment of general aviation, according to officials.
Established in 2000, Trio has delivered some 3,000 autopilots around the world. The two-axis Pro Pilot model uses roll and auto-trim pitch servos to provide horizontal and vertical navigation capabilities. Altitude control includes climb and descent functions with altitude pre-select. Vertical navigation can be flown at pilot-selected speeds.
I fly a 2002 Alarus (CH2000) and I would like to install an autopilot in that aircraft. Is it possible to get a field approval to do so, or do you need to do testing on this aircraft. Its similar to a a Cessna 152, but its a low wing aircraft.
Thank you
Jim
Paul
Your April post mentions being currently involved in engineering design for the Twin Comanche. Could you publish an update on that project.
Dear 310 Owner,
Please call and schedule a visit to the Trio Avionics production facilities at 1905 North Marshall Ave #6 El Cajon, CA. Our El Cajon facilitie is where the Trio Autopilot is currently manufactured and has been since we formed the company in 2000. I would be happy to show you how each autopilot system is manufactured and assembled at this facility.
The shafting in the Trio servos is stainless steel, not plastic. The internal gearing is POM (industry trade name “Delrin”). POM is low mass, extremely strong, lightweight material that will never wear out nor need lubrication. This design results in a light weight, robust, minimal maintenance servo. The engineering studies conducted in the design of the servo permit output working torque via an internal slip clutch of up to 45-lb in. The frangible gear you mention is a fail safe item designed as a “fuse” if for some unknown reason the clutch mechanism might fail and the servo would continue to be engaged to the control system – this would be a multiple failure scenario. These servos have been produced in El Cajon, CA since 2003. You may surmise that the servo is too lightweight for the certified market, but actual design parameters and flight testing show the servo operation to be fully adequate for aircraft control in all normal flight regimes.
The STC Group is a separate company that designs the installation kits for the Trio Pro Pilot system kit and also holds the STC’s for the autopilot and installation kits.
Trio’s genesis is the experimental aircraft market where we have systems installed in numerous aircraft ranging from ultralights to warbirds.
Again, please accept my invitation to our facility so I can dispel the misinformation you have received about our products and production facilities.
Very Sincerely,
Chuck Busch
President, Trio Avionics
This is an Italian autopilot, designed for experimental aircraft, and very light weight. The servo is a wing mounted unit with a plastic drive shaft, which is supposed to also serve as the override by shearing when force is applied. The problem for heavier aircraft is how long this drive shaft will survive in normal use.
Conventional autopilots have electric servos which attach to the control cables with bridle cables. Trio is totally different, and is very light weight.
The unit is imported by a company in El Cajon, CA, and a commercial group, calling themselves “The STC Group:, is eneavoring to get STCs on the unit for certificated aircraft. They will charge a few grand for the STC and sell the Trio.
It may be fine on an ultralight, but I am uncomfortable with the wing servo with a plastic drive shaft. I surmise that it is too light weight.
310 Owner, where do you obtain your information ? Totally inaccurate statements. I am the CEO of the STC Group LLC. The Trio Pro Pilot Autopilot is designed in the United States. The installation kits are manufactured in Simi Valley, CA. The fabrication shop manufactures parts for Boeing Aircraft, Northrup Grumman, Airbus, and the United States Military. The autopilot servo is strong enough to control most single engine aircraft. We are currently in engineering design on Piper Twin Comanche.