The STC in the link is about the KA310.
$5k for this vs $10k for a G5 and GFC500 autopilot. Notwithstanding the added installation cost, I think I’ll be waiting until either the KI256 or the KFC150 fails and then replacing both.
10K for the GFC500 ? Are you doing the install yourself ?
airways wrote:
10K for the GFC500 ? Are you doing the install yourself ?
That’s why I said “Notwithstanding the added installation cost…”!
You’re looking at about 40-50 hours for the G5 and GFC combo in a Mooney. Not sure about the KI300.
I guess the labour required to install a KI300 (+KA310) would be the same as a single G5 + GAD29B
Replacing a KI256 with the KI300+KA310 should be quick – unless something is not being disclosed clearly.
The KI256 cable should plug into the KA310. If it does not (which would be truly dumb, but anything is possible with HBK) then some hours to change the wiring. If it does, in some installations the cable might not be long enough (the KI256 is quite long behind the panel) so again some wiring.
The KA310 needs to be mounted somewhere/somehow. From the brochure this is what the two look like
The back of the KI300 was posted above (I took that pic at EDNY).
A possible challenge to find room for such a (pointlessly) huge box. What’s in there? A bitcoin mining computer? An emulator of a 4004 implemented in 2-input NOR gates (proven technology from the Apollo AGC)?
The KA310 connectors, zoomed-in, show a large Positronic connector (what for?) and a DB9
when a KI256 has the Apollo-era Positronic connector
so either there is another connector out of sight or HBK are expecting a rewire.
I may well be missing something, and European installations may well be countable on 1 finger, and those who have done it may not want to post, but it looks like 1-2 days’ work.
A G5 cannot replace a KI256; you would have to replace the autopilot also.
It’s crazy. I could develop a KI256 plug (“plug and play” to use modern terminology 
) replacement in a few months. Or less if I had an AI which outputs pitch and roll in a certified ARINC429 or RS232 stream and one just needs to emulate the KI256’s “bent LVDT” coils. And this was equally doable 20 years ago. I know other companies looked at it. The president of one of them told me so, adding that (a) they were making enough doing other stuff and (b) they got scared of the KFC STC which would be “broken” by any attempt to emulate a KI256.
I don’t have the IM for these items. That would settle the details. In the meantime I agree with zuutroy 
I have a spare KI256 on the shelf… some battles are not worth fighting.
Positronic to GPS and DB9 to a magnetometer (maybe KI300 can display heading or they are planning to use the 310 to drive a HSI)? That’s the case for the GAD29B anyway.
I don’t quite follow you but yeah the KI300 has extra connections. It has the two air pipes.
I am now wondering if the KI300 is not a certified solution for any autopilot pitch and roll source, and the KA310 had to be added to make that possible. For certification of a non mechanical AI as a primary pitch and roll source, you need auto (background) erection which needs to be done either with airdata (Aspen, until recently) or with GPS (Garmin). Search EuroGA for “erection” and you get some good reading.
Here’s how Garmin do it. You can see the same two connectors on the 29b as on the 310. If you have a GMU11 you can then have heading displayed on the upper G5. Just thought maybe something similar exists or might exist in the future for KI300/KA310 combo. Pure guesswork though!
Yes; possible.
The KA300 stuff should not need the heading. I see no heading bug or heading arc.
