Hey guys, I recently had a a&p/IA mechanic install a trutrak vision autopilot in my 1971 Piper arrow. I went and flew the airplane and everything worked great. I get back and he gives me an invoice for 38 hours of labor. Is this even possible? I told him it is well documented to take around 20 hours. I havn’t paid him yet, I wanted to see what other people’s install times were like.

Interesting, where is it documented that it a 20 hour install? Did he agree to that? What else did he have to do, clean up, unbundle, repair or otherwise while he was installing the autopilot. Questions like this lead me to believe he didn’t quote it or you didn’t ask.

He did not quote it to me. I took it to him and said “hey do you want to install my autopilot in my arrow? Everyone says its should only take about 20 hours.” He said, sure! The problem is he pulled my airplane into his shop and jumped from job to job basically just working on my airplane here and there. I approached him about needing to finish my airplane up instead of jumping back and fourth from airplane to airplane. He literally had my airplane in his hangar for 2 months. I finally told him a week and a half ago to finish it or put it back together so I could take it to someone else. He apparently chose to finish it. As for being well documented to take only a couple days you can do a quick google search on trutrak install time and see it in multiple places.

Over on MooneySpace there is a shop owner that says:

" Yes, they have ranged from 30-40hrs total time. The first one was 40 hrs (billed for 25) we have now got the actual time down to 30-35 hrs. That includes everything, removal of old autopilot, fabrication of mounting brackets / holes for the panel, gps interface and a flight test with the owner. Those times assume a “normal” 30-50 year old airframe but don’t account for anything major found. The 1st Mooney install will be telling, I will keep accurate records of time and post the details here as well as the install manual."

My avionics guy has done two and they've both gone horribly. Lots of fitment issues and interference with control cables.

Was there an old AP removed? If so, I’d expect another 8-10 hours billed on top of the actual install. I have a written quote in hand for my PA32 at 35 hours plus 8 to removed the old AP. This is from Trutraks number one dealer in the US. Pretty sure when they quoted it, they had a good idea what it would take.

Casey, although it took forever, I don’t think that 20 hour quote is anything realistic. Maybe in an RV or something similar. But not in the Piper.

so many discussion of homebuilt-market avionics have a frame of reference of putting in the stuff during new construction of the plane

if you pre-removed all the old gear and also stripped the interior out of your airplane before taking it to the shop, that might be a reasonable estimate

Not sure if Arrow (retract) adds complexity over FG Cherokee/Archer, but at least two installers are quoting ~$7,250 for TT installed. Think it varies a lot by airframe, but it's darn simple in a Cherokee.

This is everything that I have been reading. The arrow is the exact same install as the cherokee. I’m was a little dumbfounded when I got the bill. And just to clarify for everyone else that $7250 Kinsley is talking about is including the $5000 autopilot itself.

In my opinion 38 hours of labor to install an autopilot from scratch is beyond fair.

This is everything that I have been reading. The arrow is the exact same install as the cherokee. I’m was a little dumbfounded when I got the bill. And just to clarify for everyone else that $7250 Kinsley is talking about is including the $5000 autopilot itself.

I have installed two so far. One in an Arrow and one in an Archer. Both involved removal of the original Century autopilot. 40 hours is an honest number. 20 is completely unrealistic.

You asked...i think 38 hours...and "it works great"....is a bargain.


If Ryan says 40-ish is normal....id take that to be accurate. I've seen his work.

I have a tough time thinking 20 hours is at all realistic.

But Casey, I’m guessing by the responses above that by now you’re probably in agreement? Makes writing that check feel better, I’m sure.

He did not quote it to me. I took it to him and said “hey do you want to install my autopilot in my arrow? Everyone says its should only take about 20 hours.” He said, sure! The problem is he pulled my airplane into his shop and jumped from job to job basically just working on my airplane here and there. I approached him about needing to finish my airplane up instead of jumping back and fourth from airplane to airplane. He literally had my airplane in his hangar for 2 months. I finally told him a week and a half ago to finish it or put it back together so I could take it to someone else. He apparently chose to finish it. As for being well documented to take only a couple days you can do a quick google search on trutrak install time and see it in multiple places.