Created For Single- And Twin-Engine Aircraft

Genesys Aerosystems has introduced its new S-TEC 3100 Digital Flight Control System (DFCS), developed for FAA Part 23 single- and twin-engine aircraft.

“I am excited to announce the next-generation S-TEC 3100 Digital Flight Control System as the latest addition to our long line of aftermarket autopilot solutions that provide exceptional features and performance at attractive pricing,” Genesys Aerosystems’ Director of Sales and Marketing Jamie Luster said. “As the leader in aftermarket autopilots with over 1,500 STCs, we were able to utilize our vast autopilot experience to leverage our work on the Level A S-TEC 5000 autopilot to bring the same great technology to the Part 23 market. There is no reason light aircraft shouldn’t have the same safety features as larger aircraft.”

“We spent a lot of time talking with piston aircraft owners, and when asked what capabilities they wanted most in a new autopilot, the unanimous winners were envelope protection and one-button straight and level recovery,” she said. “With these two capabilities in the airplane, it’s like having a virtual copilot along on every flight.”

Luster also explained that another goal of the Genesys Aerosystems engineering team was to ensure that the S-TEC 3100 was designed with open architecture to easily integrate with both legacy analog avionics such as HSIs and DGs and today’s advanced digital systems such as complete EFIS displays. In addition, it was designed to require minimal additional equipment to keep the incremental cost as low as possible.

In addition to Envelope Protection and Straight and Level Recovery, the next-generation S-TEC 3100 two-axis Digital Flight Control System features:

• Built-in autopilot, flight director and yaw damper controls
• Optional yaw control includes coordinated turns
• Flight director capability can drive pitch and roll flight director bars together with mode annunciations on compatible EFIS displays
• Lateral and vertical navigation functions including GPSL, GPSV, GPSS, VOR, LOC and GS
• Vertical navigation targets set on the bezel or compatible EFIS
• Heading Hold
• Altitude Preselect and Hold with Autotrim
• Vertical Speed Control
• Indicated Airspeed Control
• Under Speed and Over Speed Warnings
• Roll Envelope Exceedance Warning
• Automatic Pitch Trim
• Course Intercept capability
• Dual Mode – HDG/NAV and HDG/APR
• Control Wheel Steering
• GPS Steering (GPSS) Mode
• Voice Annunciations
• System can be integrated with approved legacy analog and digital avionics systems
• And more

 
“The initial aircraft we have identified to earn FAA STCs for the S-TEC 3100 are the Cessna 182, Cessna 210, Beechcraft Bonanza and Piper Saratoga,” Luster said. “The reason we chose these four initially was twofold: there are thousands of these aircraft in the field and we received very favorable responses from owners of these types during our initial research.”

“These owners use their aircraft and will value the array of benefits that they will enjoy with the new S-TEC 3100 system,” she said. “The STCs are currently underway and we expect certification in early 2018.  Pricing will be announced in the coming months, but will be comparable to other autopilots with similar capability.”  

(Source: Genesys Aerosystems media release)

FMI: www.genesys-aerosystems.com