Help For Single-Pilot Flight

Chelton Aviation has taken autopilot technology to new heights with features that simplify operation, lower costs and provide more accurate tracking. The feature-laden AP-3C TSO autopilot consists of three components, utilizes attitude based automatic pitch trim as a standard feature and leads the industry in holding altitude in turbulent conditions.

While some autopilots offer GPS roll steering, Chelton is the first to go a step further and provide general aviation pilots with vertical nav steering or VNAV. Since their altitude holding is based on an attitude gyro instead of responding to deviation over a period of time, the Chelton unit responds much more quickly to turbulence. The fact that Chelton is superior in holding an assigned altitude in rough air, dampening out the oscillations typical of other systems, puts it in the point position in technology.

The two servos in a Chelton autopilot are of all-metal construction, instead of using the lower cost plastic gears, which are more inclined to failure. A magnetic friction clutch on Cheton's servos renders the units maintenance-free, while plastic units require regular adjustments.

Electric pitch trim is optional in other autopilots and adds approximately $3000 to the cost. Comparing the price of Chelton's autopilot with the competition, Chelton is nearly $5,000 less expensive, incorporating many features as standard equipment instead of as optional upgrades. Chelton also allows dealers to do limited maintenance instead of shipping every problem back to the factory, which has the effect of lowering maintenance costs and reducing AOG time.

Utilizing an Arnic 429 digital interface, which is built into the Chelton panel mount controller, the AP-3C will follow any flight plan programmed into a GPS, including altitude changes (a unique benefit), and can be easily modified as new directions are put into the GPS unit. This means the aircraft might seek airways and variable MEAs for the first three legs of a flight and then adjust if the next four legs are cancelled by instructions from Center to "go direct" at a different altitude.

One of the most outstanding benefits of the Chelton autopilot is the simplicity of the system. There are no menu layers to work through, no complicated progressions in dialing in commands. Also if a pilot is thrown into an unusual attitude by jet wake or becomes disoriented in the transition from minimum VFR to IMC, as John Kennedy, Jr. did, he can push two buttons at once and the auto pilot takes over, immediately bringing the aircraft to a straight and level position. That is also an exclusive Chelton feature.

The Chelton AP-3C autopilot is available for $12,995. A number of popular single and twin engine aircraft have already been STC'd and the list is growing at the rate of about two aircraft types per month.

FMI: www.cheltonaviation.com