Page 2 of 2

Re: linear actuator for flaps

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:06 pm
by jchisolm
Reinhard,
Welcome to the new forum. Glad to have you here.
Notice from the pictures on the web site you swapped out your panel with some new Gramin and GRT gear. How do you like the new setup? How many hours on the plane now?

Also, any other pictures or guidance you could share on the flap installation would really be helpful.

Re: linear actuator for flaps

Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 1:26 pm
by n49ex
Adding to previous post on the flap actuator, mine takes 8 seconds, either down or up.

Yes, I upgraded to the Garmin G3X Touch system with the autopilot, and I absolutely love it! Particularly the autopilot, which works so well it is astonishing. Flies approaches with uncanny precision and stability. I put in the GRT Mini as my completely independent backup, as it has 4 hour battery capability, its own magnetometer and GPS. It works just fine, but I like the Garmin display better, and Grand Rapids tech. has a real radio frequency interference problem on the mini. Many others have had problems with it interfering with the radios at some frequencies. I have a background in EMC and have offered to help them fix it, free, and they have totally blown me off. I would replace the mini with a Garmin G5 in a heartbeat if they would only fix the software so it could mount on a canted panel. Otherwise, I love the glass panel!

Re: linear actuator for flaps

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 6:41 pm
by n49ex
Tried posting a response before, but somehow it disappeared!

The plane is now up to about 1150 hours and going strong! I absolutely love the glass panel and can't say enough good things about the Garmin G3X Touch system, especially the autopilot, whose precision and stability are astonishing. And I pretty much paid for the whole installation by selling off the steam instruments and certified S-tec autopilot. The GRT Mini-X was my approach to including a completely independent backup, with it's 4 hour internal battery. Functionally it works fine, though in general I prefer Garmin's presentations and graphics. Beyond that though, GRT has a serious radio interference problem due to a noisy power supply/inverter, so I would replace the mini with a Garmin G5 in a heartbeat if only they would add the software feature allowing it to be mounted on a canted panel - which incidentally the GRT Mini does - they do know how to do the minor bit of math on the sensors to do that. The mini also only has manual display dimming, a bit of a nuisance for night flight. I've offered to help the GRT folks fix the RFI problem - free - as I have extensive EMC experience from my Bell Labs career, but they have blown me off.

Let me know of any specific additional flap system pictures you would like, and I'll see what I can post.

Reinhard