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28 Mar 2024, 18:33 [ UTC - 5; DST ]


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 13 Nov 2022, 16:56 
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Well George, this last one I’m flying is in a twin Commander. This isn’t a no name shop, it’s a major TC repair shop. They signed it off as perfect and it is a mess. You must have gotten lucky.

And this wasn’t just one plane…a close friend is a pilot for another TC shop and he has confirmed that the 3100 is God awful compared to just about every other autopilot he’s flown.

Congratulations on finding the one good 3100 install.


Mike, I'm not the only one. There are plenty of people complaining about porpoising / Dutch roll with the 3100 after installation. And plenty who had the problem originally after installation but got it corrected. It may have taken a software update and a rewrite of installation instructions from Genesys to get everything working properly. Like I said, give them a knock if they were too early to market and that's what happened. But I was talking to a local Meridian pilot with the problem who said Genesys had their top tech person working with his shop to correct the problem with his plane.

If Genesys support is leaving you holding the bag with your Commander then for sure, fire away. But don't knock the 3100. When they do manage to get it installed properly it flies as well as any other digital autopilot. My only complaint is that when integrated into a Garmin panel you don't get the full two-way communication you would with entirely Garmin boxes where you can set climb rate or altitude on either the PFD or the AP. But that's because of Garmin, not Genesys.

I'd take your TC shop manager up for a ride with the "perfectly installed" autopilot and read him / her the riot act. Like I said, this is a known problem others have managed to correct so it's not like your shop has to get super creative.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 13 Nov 2022, 21:53 
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Joined: 09/18/21
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I have a STEC 3100 in my Cardinal RG, and a Garmin GFC600 in my Baron. The Garmin flies the plane a little better, but not enough to really be a big difference. I find the STEC slightly easier to use, but again not enough to really be a big difference. The STEC flies a tighter ILS. RNAVs are about the same.

The STEC actually used to be a champ, but a recent config update due to some new avionics interfaces caused it to not handle heavy turbulence as well. I'm on STEC's list for some gain tuning. Garmin seems to handle light and moderate turbulence well but haven't gotten into the big upsets yet so can't comment on it's performance their. May or may not be better.

If I had all Garmin stuff in my cockpit, I'd buy a Garmin autopilot. No brainer. But if I was mixing and matching equipment, I wouldn't hesitate to install another 3100. Both are light years ahead of the TruTrak in my RV8.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 16 Nov 2022, 14:36 
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Joined: 05/14/14
Posts: 485
Post Likes: +199
Location: Atlantic, Ia
Aircraft: Beech Travel air
I had a 3100 installed this spring in my travel air. love it. no issues to report from me.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 16 Nov 2022, 14:42 
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Joined: 05/17/15
Posts: 151
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Location: KPVU, Provo, UT
Aircraft: C182
I'll add a compliment for the STEC 3100. Not to say it didn't take STEC quite a while to get it dialed in, and involved a trip to the factory as well as them sending a service engineer to Utah. But it's now acting like it should. I made an 11 hour trip from the east coast to Utah last Monday. The last 4 hours were night IMC over Nebraska and Wyoming. I don't think I could have done it safely without a working autopilot. I'm very satisfied with the Aspen Pro Max and STEC 3100 combination.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 24 Nov 2022, 22:06 
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Joined: 11/23/22
Posts: 2
Post Likes: +1
Aircraft: Bonanza A36
I had a 3100 installed as soon as it was approved in a Conquest I. Solid as a rock…..absolutely a great autopilot. I did have one cable tension problem when some other rigging was done after a cable replacement. The tension had to very tight or you had the porpoising problem. I’m on Conquest I number two with a full Garmin suite going Txi, two 750’s, GFC 600, 275, and a Garmin radar…I went with the GFC 600 because it inner faces with rest of the Garmin. I would not hesitate to buy another 3100.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 05 Feb 2023, 09:56 
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Joined: 05/17/19
Posts: 7
Post Likes: +5
Location: southwest Virginia
Aircraft: Cessna 182
I was an early adopter of the S-TEC 3100 in a Cessna 182M, and just had the unit upgraded to a much more readable backlit display. Like the previous posts I am now very happy with the 3100, and especially the tight integration with an Aspen PFD. It takes considerable time to get proficient with particular interfaces and I did not want to start the learning process over again by replacing the Aspen or Avidyne navigator. One of the Aspen's strengths is its ability to interface with a variety of analog and digital autopilots. A good avionics shop is especially important with a multi-vendor panel, and Freedom Aviation in Lynchburg VA has done flawless work including a custom panel. While I also have Garmin products and am amazed by the many features supported in a friend's all-Garmin panel, I also appreciate vendors who try to minimize the labor cost of upgrades.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 05 Feb 2023, 19:54 
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Joined: 03/22/14
Posts: 103
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Location: KMYF/ Kamiah, ID
Aircraft: C525, AC90
As far as shipping delays go—
I ordered “on time” at 24 weeks ahead of the install date: an stec 3100 (coordinated with scheduled maintenance). The actual delivery keeps slipping and now it looks like it will be delivered around 36 weeks. I believe the constraint is related to a servo, not necessarily the unit itself.

I have no choice: New Stec or pay big $$ to rebuild a legacy AP that could fail again.
Installer is experienced with the 3100 and the leveling procedures so I am optimistic it will be a smooth install.

_________________
MEL, Comm. Instr. C525(S) type


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 06 Feb 2023, 03:39 
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Joined: 06/26/10
Posts: 680
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Location: 74S - Anacortes, WA
Aircraft: 58P
Another data point, I have fought an expensive and frustrating battle to get our 3100 to fly properly for over a year. Roll oscillation, pitch oscillation, inappropriate pitch behavior in turbulence, massive balloon with flap extension.

To avoid ripping this thing out and paying $50k for a GFC600, I can endure all the above by hand flying as needed, but not the roll oscillation.

I have failed to captivate the interest of Genesys, as the message continues to be, “take it to a dealer.” Each trip to a dealer has been several thousand dollars and a few weeks downtime with cancelled trips…it’s been to a shop 6 times since install to attempt to remove oscillation, and the work has been negligent and disappointing. There has been zero accountability for shoddy attention to detail by the avionics shops performing the work on our aircraft. Shoki (sp?) at Genesys has been very kind and knowledgeable though.

I have all but begged Genesys for help, I’m exhausted.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 07 Feb 2023, 09:52 
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Joined: 05/17/19
Posts: 7
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Location: southwest Virginia
Aircraft: Cessna 182
I can relate to the above posts regarding parts delays and roll oscillation. It took a few years for both Aspen and Genesys to support the 3100 integration kit, with Aspen first needing the MAX's processor upgrade. To Aspen's credit, the integration kit unlock fee was waived because of the delay. Genesys replaced the pitch servo even though it failed a month past the extended warranty period. The pandemic likely added extra time to an already lengthy STC process for autopilots. It took over a year for the display upgrade to become available due to electronics supply chain issues that persist. The 3100's 1.3 software introduced a mild wing rock that was not resolved by AHRS re-leveling, checking the bridle cable tension or overhauling the roll servo, and it took a revision to the 1.4 software to fix it. I no doubt benefited from Craig Teerlink working with a Genesys field engineer to tweak the gain settings for 14V 182's. The point I'm trying to make is that a lot of patience was needed, but I'm very pleased with the end result. Working through these issues requires a top-tier avionics shop. My 3100 install was the first one performed by Freedom Aviation in Lynchburg VA, but as usual there were absolutely no mistakes. Hope that hearing about my similar journey is helpful.

Forgot where I read it, but apparently even new airliners sometimes don't fly perfectly and require tweaks during the test flights. No doubt there is even more variation on older GA aircraft.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 07 Feb 2023, 13:17 
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Joined: 06/26/10
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Location: 74S - Anacortes, WA
Aircraft: 58P
Hi Cameron,
Thanks for sharing your perspective, it’s helpful! I continue to hold hope we’ll get the 3100 running nicely. Software v1.4, config, new IMU level/cal is next, hoping that’s fruitful like it was for you. Based on how the AP flies (HDG rollout overshoot by 2-3 degrees), I’m hoping that adjusting ship cable and bridle tensions toward the higher end of the allowable range might have the effect of raising gain slightly as a next step if software 1.4 doesn’t change behavior, and also help.

We have a 58P. I believe the software, configuration, and STC are all identical (referencing gain, etc) between a 58P and early, light Baron like an A55. Anyone who has flown both will tell you the pitch and roll forces are not nearly the same, as a B55 is very much a fingertip airplane…the 58P is not. If it comes to it, perhaps Genesys would be willing to examine the specific gain settings as they apply to the heavier 58P…and I would be insanely curious if any other 58P owners also have an S-Tec 3100, and if so, how it flies.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 07 Feb 2023, 13:25 
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Joined: 06/18/12
Posts: 8710
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Company: Gallagher Aviation LLC
Location: Cincinnati, OH (I69)
Aircraft: 1960 Bonanza M35
Garmin is moving more toward a year now. Ordered a G3X on July 18, 2022, expected to ship on November 22, 2022, then mid-February, now May 15, 2023.

_________________
Sales: 833-425-5288
gallagheraviationllc@gmail.com
www.gallagheraviationllc.com - WAT Dealer


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 07 Feb 2023, 14:55 
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Joined: 12/06/18
Posts: 615
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Location: KPTW Heritage Field, Pottstown, PA
Aircraft: 1977 B55 Baron
My 3100 install in a B55 should be done next month, so there will be another data point soon.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 07 Feb 2023, 15:23 
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Location: 74S - Anacortes, WA
Aircraft: 58P
Robert, great! Hoping you’ll be thrilled with it, and hoping you’ll share the result here.

Best I can discern, the autopilot is of good quality, but is highly sensitive to the installer following instructions to the letter, and working with Genesys as needed if not experienced with 3100 installs/updates.

As a customer that pays for each step, it’s frustrating to not be brought into the loop by a shop (watch a cable tension measurement, for instance, or ensuring items are completed in the correct order, per Genesys data), then find out later, over and over again, that basic steps were performed incorrectly.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 08 Feb 2023, 02:15 
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Joined: 07/29/12
Posts: 66
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Aircraft: GV IV 680 LRJET 690A
After a 6 weeks mistake in not ordering when order placed(and money was sent), my 3100 was finally entered 6/15 and is toward the end of the install phase today, maybe completed and ready for first flight too. Apparently, from many comments, this may just be the beginning. I was told my AP was first to ship with 1.4 config from the factory.


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 Post subject: Re: STEC & Garmin Delays
PostPosted: 08 Feb 2023, 02:19 
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Joined: 06/26/10
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Location: 74S - Anacortes, WA
Aircraft: 58P
Ryan, awesome! I hope it works great right out of install. What type aircraft?


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