I killed George :(

James331

James331

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James331
Son of a ....

I just bought my 185F amphib, I'm flying it home, alls great, I go to fiddle with the S-tec 30, grab the select knob, and we hit a bump, now the knob can be pulled out about 1/3 inch, and can't select anything.

How bad is it? Any field fixes, or is this a pull it, ship it, and grab your ankles kind of thing?


Thanks,
James
 
James331 said:
Son of a ....

I just bought my 185F amphib, I'm flying it home, alls great, I go to fiddle with the S-tec 30, grab the select knob, and we hit a bump, now the knob can be pulled out about 1/3 inch, and can't select anything.

How bad is it? Any field fixes, or is this a pull it, ship it, and grab your ankles kind of thing?


Thanks,
James
Click to expand...

Setscrew on the knob loose? Think tiny Allen wrench.
 
It certainly seems that for you, George is currently more of a distraction than an aid to flight. I think what you need to do is leave George at home and fly with a yoke, and between flights, work on learning George well enough on the ground that in the air you can use it effectively while maintaining control of the aircraft and good piloting skills.
 
Yes, those two posts are jokes...

...now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
 
James331 said:
Son of a ....

I just bought my 185F amphib, I'm flying it home, alls great, I go to fiddle with the S-tec 30, grab the select knob, and we hit a bump, now the knob can be pulled out about 1/3 inch,
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You pulled George's knob? DADT :D

George isn't dead until he burns up or something like that...ask me how I know
 
No worries.

I'll check for a screw

As for saftey of flight, all was good.

Just a VFR with FF, my main job is single pilot IFR in a PC12, I can fly her just fine raw data, just playing with my new toys, but thanks for the concern, I'll keep it safe :)
 
The S-Tec 30 has a little plastic coupler in there, it breaks (eventually, no matter what, so don't feel guilty); good news is, any good avionics shop can fix it; bad news is, you don't wanna know how much it costs (ask ME how I know!).

It is possible, and advisable, to have a remote mode-select switch installed; the 30 has a pin for remote mode select, a single momentary switch (SPST) to ground, does the same thing as the knob, but does not wear it nearly as much. Some avionics shops don't know about this (mine did not, and they are good).
 
SCCutler said:
The S-Tec 30 has a little plastic coupler in there, it breaks (eventually, no matter what, so don't feel guilty); good news is, any good avionics shop can fix it; bad news is, you don't wanna know how much it costs (ask ME how I know!).
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I've found that no matter how old George is, there is someone out there who can fix him up. Just a matter of the multiplier in front of AMU.
 
Congrats on getting an amphib 185. That is one heck of a nice toy(real toy not an ipad type toy.) Have fun with it. Post some pics, lets see some fish.
 
I'm pretty sure the whole thing is toast.

I can swing by next week to take the remains of the 185 off your hands.
 
SCCutler said:
The S-Tec 30 has a little plastic coupler in there, it breaks (eventually, no matter what, so don't feel guilty); good news is, any good avionics shop can fix it; bad news is, you don't wanna know how much it costs (ask ME how I know!).

It is possible, and advisable, to have a remote mode-select switch installed; the 30 has a pin for remote mode select, a single momentary switch (SPST) to ground, does the same thing as the knob, but does not wear it nearly as much. Some avionics shops don't know about this (mine did not, and they are good).
Click to expand...

Huh, gotta love plastic.

Any idea what it should run?
 
SCCutler said:
The S-Tec 30 has a little plastic coupler in there, it breaks (eventually, no matter what, so don't feel guilty); good news is, any good avionics shop can fix it; bad news is, you don't wanna know how much it costs (ask ME how I know!).

It is possible, and advisable, to have a remote mode-select switch installed; the 30 has a pin for remote mode select, a single momentary switch (SPST) to ground, does the same thing as the knob, but does not wear it nearly as much. Some avionics shops don't know about this (mine did not, and they are good).
Click to expand...

Not making me feel very good. I like george, but I don't let george fly very often - mostly just over Kansas...
 
If you have George,why not let him fly?
 
As long as you can fly it raw data, no FD or AP, George is just a workload reducer.

I fly single pilot IFR for work, we use autopilot instead of having a Sic.

Didn't mean to get this thread on the AP vs no AP topic.

So anyone have any thoughts on George's medic bill :)
 
Because Bonanzas are Cool! They fly soooo nice - why would I let george fly?? I would be jealous ...

;)

Yea, one of the selling factors on this old bird was the STEC 30 - very nice AP. But yes, nice to have when on long trips and will be used a lot more once flying IMC (not there yet).

I've seen the little AP select button go awol on a number of installations - just hoping mine won't have the same issue anytime soon...
 
James331 said:
So anyone have any thoughts on George's medic bill :)
Click to expand...


"If you have to ask..." :)

Autopilot repair costs were the start of the snowball that eventually turned into a giant boulder of frustration with certified avionics, which, in turn, led me into the Experimental world.

My TruTrack will fly my RV to the threshold, flawlessly, and probably cost less, new, then you'll be spending to replace that broken plastic piece.

Sorry... :nonod:
 
I seem to recall spending something like $200.00 with labor, but it has been a while.
 
Jay Honeck said:
My TruTrack will fly my RV to the threshold, flawlessly, and probably cost less, new, then you'll be spending to replace that broken plastic piece.
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As will the various certified airplanes that can be bought for less money than you paid, which can be found equipped with a great autopilot and an actual IFR GPS.

I would be more weather capable in most rental airplanes than I would in your particular RV-8 :)
 
jesse said:
As will the various certified airplanes that can be bought for less money than you paid, which can be found equipped with a great autopilot and an actual IFR GPS.

I would be more weather capable in most rental airplanes than I would in your particular RV-8 :)
Click to expand...

Now that's just silly talk. For just $11,000 (plus a bunch of work, of course), I was able to put a panel in the RV that (to achieve the same level of sophistication) would have cost $55,000 in my Piper Pathfinder.

That's the cost of certification, and the cost of liability that is inherent with certification.

Personally, I've never seen a rental with anything like the GRT Horizon HXr. But, of course, I haven't rented an airplane since the dark ages.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Now that's just silly talk. For just $11,000 (plus a bunch of work, of course), I was able to put a panel in the RV that (to achieve the same level of sophistication) would have cost $55,000 in my Piper Pathfinder.

That's the cost of certification, and the cost of liability that is inherent with certification.

Personally, I've never seen a rental with anything like the GRT Horizon HXr. But, of course, I haven't rented an airplane since the dark ages.
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You have no ability to fly RNAV or fly a GPS approach under IFR. Many rental airplanes do. Since you don't fly IFR that's not a big deal to you but to advertise as if your equipment could do it, when in reality it can't, at least not legally by any sane pilot.

I've seen Bonanzas equipped with an IFR GPS and a GPSS equipped dual axis autopilot for what I would guess is less than what you have into the RV-8. They go just about as fast, with two more seats, and can fly all sorts of approaches in actual poor weather your airplane can't.

I'm not beating on the RV-8, or your airplane, I would love to have one. I'm just pointing out that your equipment isn't capable of doing what you say in real world operations and that experimental for some, isn't the best answer.

Yes you can get an autopilot for less in an Experimental. But if you want a IFR WAAS GPS experimental is not going to make much of any difference in the cost.

(From the guy that owns an Experimental)
 
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I've always wonders why folks bother with glass and everything, on a plane that can't fly IMC and shoot an approach.
 
Correct me if i'm wrong.

You can buy the garmin experimental G3x series two panel glass with 2 axis autopilot for about $8000. Including the ahars, compass, airspeed, OAT sensor.

Then you can add a new GPS 400W from garmin for an additional $4000. Coupled together, you can legally shoot RNAV including LPV approaches etc...
GPS 400W comes with built-in WAAS navigation capabilities. It is approved to fly LPV “glideslope” approaches without reference to ground-based navaids of any kind. It features an advanced 15-channel receiver capable of 5 position updates per second. GPS 400W meets the stringent TSO C146a FAA standards for WAAS “sole means” navigation — providing vertical and lateral approach guidance into thousands of U.S. airports previously inaccessible in IFR conditions.
Click to expand...
 
James331 said:
I've always wonders why folks bother with glass and everything, on a plane that can't fly IMC and shoot an approach.
Click to expand...
Thats easy: There's legal, and there's capable.

In the real world, I want the ability to land in any conditions should I need that capability -- even though I choose to fly exclusively VFR. In my plane, I have that...in spades.

Hell, it can practically land without me. :)
 
Jay Honeck said:
Thats easy: There's legal, and there's capable.

In the real world, I want the ability to land in any conditions should I need that capability -- even though I choose to fly exclusively VFR. In my plane, I have that...in spades.

Hell, it can practically land without me. :)
Click to expand...

You'd be a lot better off getting an instrument rating and being truly capable. People on instruments that don't fly instruments normally don't tend to do well even if they do have glass.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Thats easy: There's legal, and there's capable.

In the real world, I want the ability to land in any conditions should I need that capability -- even though I choose to fly exclusively VFR. In my plane, I have that...in spades.

Hell, it can practically land without me. :)
Click to expand...


Oh boy....

Careful with that, quite a few people have met their maker using that thought process.
 
Yes, the pilot needs to be capable, but we appear to be at a point where my phone is far more capable than the early avionics that were installed in my bo. Yet the regs were written back then.
 
jesse said:
You'd be a lot better off getting an instrument rating and being truly capable. People on instruments that don't fly instruments normally don't tend to do well even if they do have glass.
Click to expand...
Very true. Which is why I don't fly instruments. I know I would never fly IFR often enough to stay proficient -- nor do I want to. That's not why we fly.

That said, with my new (well, 8-months old, now, so it's obsolete! lol) panel, I have the peace of mind of knowing that I can get down through a layer, should things close up beneath me, or see the airport should visibility deteriorate. THAT is why VFR pilots should (and do) install glass panels.

Untill you've flown glass for a while, it's hard to appreciate what a tremendous step up in safety and situational awareness it is. Synthetic vision alone is worth what I spent on the entire panel.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Very true. Which is why I don't fly instruments. I know I would never fly IFR often enough to stay proficient -- nor do I want to. That's not why we fly.

That said, with my new (well, 8-months old, now, so it's obsolete! lol) panel, I have the peace of mind of knowing that I can get down through a layer, should things close up beneath me, or see the airport should visibility deteriorate. THAT is why VFR pilots should (and do) install glass panels.

Untill you've flown glass for a while, it's hard to appreciate what a tremendous step up in safety and situational awareness it is. Synthetic vision alone is worth what I spent on the entire panel.
Click to expand...

I've flown a good amount if time in glass, and now a semi six pack with efis, ehsi, mfds, 530Ws, onboard radar, etc. it's all the same if your skill level is there.


ALSO IN GOOD NEWS, talked to the avionics guy, 1hr labor and the plastic knuckle joint and that's that! Couple hundred bucks, and its just a not so wear and tear for that knuckle to break....sadly s-tec doesn't make a Teflon/metal/carbon replacement, they just authorized the shops to do the repair in the field.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Very true. Which is why I don't fly instruments. I know I would never fly IFR often enough to stay proficient -- nor do I want to. That's not why we fly.

That said, with my new (well, 8-months old, now, so it's obsolete! lol) panel, I have the peace of mind of knowing that I can get down through a layer, should things close up beneath me, or see the airport should visibility deteriorate. THAT is why VFR pilots should (and do) install glass panels.

Untill you've flown glass for a while, it's hard to appreciate what a tremendous step up in safety and situational awareness it is. Synthetic vision alone is worth what I spent on the entire panel.
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I think you missed his entire point.

No...I know you did.
 
weirdjim said:
21.303 (b)(2) allows you to make one out of titanium if you wish and legally install it.

Jim
Click to expand...

You're the AP with the engineering business.

You make one that can't be legally installed in a working plane, price it right, and I'll be your first customer. It's a common failure point in that unit, you'll probably sell quite a few if you can pull it off.

Seriously though, do it and I'll buy one!
 
James331 said:
You're the AP with the engineering business.

You make one that can't be legally installed in a working plane, price it right, and I'll be your first customer. It's a common failure point in that unit, you'll probably sell quite a few if you can pull it off.

Seriously though, do it and I'll buy one!
Click to expand...

I didn't say I could make one legally, I said YOU could make one legally. I am not the owner or the operator of your aircraft.

What I *CAN* do is make an engineering drawing of the little bugger and sell you the drawing. What you do with it, what machine shop you choose to make the part, or what you cobble up in your own garage is your business.

Send me a busted one and I'll do the drawing. If it works, you owe me whatever we agree the drawing is worth. If it doesn't work, you owe me nothing. How you get it machined is up to you.

Read 21.303 (b)(2).

Thanks,

Jim
 
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timwinters said:
I think you missed his entire point.

No...I know you did.
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Not at all. I understand what he's saying, and agree with it -- IF I was interested in flying instruments.

I am not, nor would I be inclined to practice instrument flying often enough to remain proficient. Therefore, with this knowledge, and in answer to the question "why VFR pilots go glass?", IMHO my statement is on point and clearly enunciated.
 
James331 said:
I've flown a good amount if time in glass, and now a semi six pack with efis, ehsi, mfds, 530Ws, onboard radar, etc. it's all the same if your skill level is there.


ALSO IN GOOD NEWS, talked to the avionics guy, 1hr labor and the plastic knuckle joint and that's that! Couple hundred bucks, and its just a not so wear and tear for that knuckle to break....sadly s-tec doesn't make a Teflon/metal/carbon replacement, they just authorized the shops to do the repair in the field.
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Great news! Sorry to hijack the thread.
 
weirdjim said:
I didn't say I could make one legally, I said YOU could make one legally. I am not the owner or the operator of your aircraft.

What I *CAN* do is make an engineering drawing of the little bugger and sell you the drawing. What you do with it, what machine shop you choose to make the part, or what you cobble up in your own garage is your business.

Send me a busted one and I'll do the drawing. If it works, you owe me whatever we agree the drawing is worth. If it doesn't work, you owe me nothing. How you get it machined is up to you.
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Did'ja ever notice in these groups that when advice is offered that requires the person to do something themselves that all of a sudden the interest level drops to zero?

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
Did'ja ever notice in these groups that when advice is offered that requires the person to do something themselves that all of a sudden the interest level drops to zero?

Jim
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Wrong group, Jim. Go visit Van's Air Force. There, if you suggest buying a completed part, people think you're crazy! :)

The FAA has thoroughly spooked certificated aircraft owners into believing that their planes will fall from the sky if they use any parts, no matter how insignificant, that aren't marked up 300% or more.
 
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