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.