According to the POH our DR400 is approved to use an EDO-Air Mitchell Century 1-AK 306. A very simple unsophisticated autopilot offering roll control and VOR tracking. When I have inquired about having one fitted (used pre-owned unit) I was told on more than one occasion that it can’t be done as “you will not be able to get the STC”. So if it was fitted from new you are ok, but if you want to retro fit one the bureaucracy says NO! Have any members come across this situation? Is there a legal way around this?
The DR400 can also be fitted with an S-TEC 55X or an S-TEC 30, and I have seen both factory fitted.
I enquired with the factory about fitting one of the above to an aircraft I was looking at, and was referred to GAMA.
The deal fell through so I never spoke to GAMA, but the implication is that there must be an approval path.
In Theory you can buy a used S-TEC 30 and send it to S-TEC for getting the right hardware and STC. But since they rather sell new autopilots this is a hard and rocky road.
Highly un-recommended.
this is a hard and rocky road
What is the exact problem with STEC?
This would make every used STEC autopilot completely worthless.
What is the situation for an N-reg? One does not need a fresh 8130-3 but I don’t know whether the STC requires the installed unit to be brand new. If so it would seem to be a crude case of a restrictive practice.
I don’t know the details but I have heard that it’s hard to get the STC from them for a used autopilot and that they will charge a lot of money for it and the necessary modifications.
When I first thought about installing an S-TE30+/GPSS into my Warrior I investigated these things … then i decided to buy a new one. Cost € 15.000 including installation. I forgot the details but I know that it was “complicated” to install used one …
EDIT: I remember now that it has to be sent to S-TEC by their dealer and that it has to be installed by an S-TEC dealer too, otherwise they will not let you do it
What is the exact problem with STEC? This would make every used STEC autopilot completely worthless. What is the situation for an N-reg? One does not need a fresh 8130-3 but I don’t know whether the STC requires the installed unit to be brand new.
I’d imagine the issue in that case would be whether the STEC STC is limited, in writing on the STC document itself, to a certain serial number aircraft. The FAA approved STC limitations are the issue, i.e. one time installation on one serial number aircraft or not. Slightly different than new versus used.
The A&P IA is responsible for installation of the unit according to the STC, which is approved data. He fills out a 337 saying the unit is serviceable and the installation was done in accordance with an STC. He sends a copy of the 337 to the FAA within two days of releasing the aircraft to service, and its legal. STEC does not have authority to determine airworthiness of an item in the field (that is the mechanics authority) and unless the STC specifies a certain serial number aircraft STEC would not be ‘in the loop’ for approval.
Yes, that is how it works. And it is not worth it, as S-Tec will ask a lot of money for the reconfiguration.
I once could have gotten a complete S-Tec 30 set for about 2000€ out of a homebuilt, but had to decline as the re-programming and overhaul by S-Tec would have cost over 10k. As a new set at the time was around 13k I relented. The only case where it might make any sense is if it is out of the exactly same airplane, as then they would “only” have to do an overhaul.
S-Tec are pushing the 55x over the 30, there are some rather good discounts from time to time.
Whichever AP you buy and install, you will find fairly quickly that the price of the AP is usually the lesser problem… installation is expensive. With all EASA paperwork e.t.c. I would guess that for a simple system install cost will be at least half of the AP again, for a complex system installation can be more than the full price of the AP, especcially if there is a lot to be connected to it. In almost any case, the total cost is going to be more than the realistic hull value of an average used SEP.
Certainly very few shops can install an autopilot. There is potentially a lot of metalwork to do correctly – the servo mountings etc.
It is also quite common that nontrivial avionics (basically anything much beyond a KI525 HSI from 1982 
) need to go back to the manufacturer to get fresh paperwork. It’s not always expensive e.g. Sandel charge $500 to recertify their 3500 EHSI. The Q then becomes: do you need fresh paperwork?
As Silvaire points out, if the STEC STC is airframe S/N specific then they have you by the balls.
But there is a point of view (which I have just read on a US forum, prob99 posted by an avionics installer) that every use of any STC requires a written permission from the STC holder. This guy even went as far as saying that a permission on the STC itself does not count. With stuff like that circulating in the USA mere mortals have no hope!
But there is a point of view (which I have just read on a US forum, prob99 posted by an avionics installer) that every use of any STC requires a written permission from the STC holder. This guy even went as far as saying that a permission on the STC itself does not count. With stuff like that circulating in the USA mere mortals have no hope!
It doesn’t matter what opinions people have, only what the FAA approved STC says (in writing) and that the A&P IA will approve the installation based on the STC data. The 337 makes no reference to the manufacturer of the hardware, only the FAA approved STC.
BTW, several local people (that I know) have installed autopilots in their own experimental planes, so while its a formidable task technically its more than a few shops who can do it in the technical sense. The most common manufacturer those guys use is Trio Avionics
Silvaire,
the actual act of installing it is pretty straightforward. at least here in Europe it is the paperwork which will drive costs through the roof. I’d say today cost of paperwork is approximately the same again as the actual hands on electrical work. When I saw the pile of paper they had to do for my installation here…. over 400 pages by the last counting. These have to be written and worked out so that the regulators will accept them and issue papers you need to go flying. As I said before, the only regret I have in that whole process is that I did not emigrate to the US when I had the chance 30 odd years ago.
