I think there are a few ways to measure this question:

(1) How many pounds pressure are required to get a specific outcome out of the elevator or rudder?

(2) (a) How well “connected” do you feel hand flying? To make a car analogy, a Porsche feels very connected and an eocnoline van feels very disconnected. 2(b) would answer this question a step further: in turbulent IMC, what plane is easiest to hand fly dead nuts? 2(b) includes as factors things like wing loading and airframe design as well.

As to (1), from lightest to heaviest I would say: Cirrus SR series and Pilatus are similar; then a reasonable jump to the Phenom 300; then a reasonable jump to CJ3+ and Piaggio; then a reasonable jump to the TBM.

As to (2a), I’d say the Piaggio is best, with the CJ3+ and TBM pretty close behind it, Phenom behind that, and probably the Pilatus and SR22 in last (though some like the side stick better than me). As to 2(b), this is where the Piaggio really shines; it just doesn’t get blown around, so the combination of highly “connected” feel and it’s being mostly immune to turbulence makes it a hand-flying dream. The CJ3+ in second. Then the TBM. Then the Pilatus and SR series. I’d say the Pilatus gets blown around kind of like a TBM with 60 gallons of gas flown single pilot.

However, if you re-do 2(b) to ask about autopilot performance, the Garmanized Piaggio probably comes in last, with the others similar. The analog connection between the Garmin avionics and the Collins autopilot makes a dot deflection vertically and half dot deflection horizontally somewhat common, esp right upon capture. I’ve heard the proline21 Piaggios perform much better in that regard, though I have never flown one myself. In other airplanes, I’ve felt I know in less than a second if the autopilot is doing what it should be doing. In the Garmin Piaggio, that can take 2-3 seconds. The Collins autopilot is very docile; eg in addition to traditional IAS/MACH and vertical speed mode, it has separate buttons for “Climb at 160 kias” and “Descend at 2,000 fpm”. When you push descend, it can feel like it takes forever to actually get to a 2,000 fpm descent.

As to the future of Piaggio Aerospace, I was able to find some non-public information that made me feel pretty comfortable.

Ed

Tangent alert…


I wonder how the original proline 2 efis system performed in this regard. It was interfaced to the APS-65 via a digital interface. At least in my install, that is disconnected and the Garmin G600 is interfaced via the GAD43 outputting analog signals, which are further sent through some kind of resistor/impedance thing, then into that interface of the APS-65.

If there was a box (maybe like that Blue Avionics gizmo mentioned in the P180 thread) that would do the CSDB digital efis protocol, it might just be better.

Interesting description Ed, I don’t feel like I have those deflection issues and have flown low approaches in some nasty breezes. I do notice the lag on dialing in a climb mode though.
(Edit)
I did do a few flights with old avionics pre garmin. Ap performance seemed similar however I only did an ILS and a gps w no vertical guidance.

The pl21 Avanti II I flew seemed similar to mine too, outside of its yaw damper which was noticeably better.

Wonder if yours is interfaced the same way. Who did the G600 install? Do you have drawings from it?

Jon, mine was done by Intercontinental.

Anthony, who did yours?

I would say the "wondering" is much more noticeable at capture than at minimums.

In this interview Mark Patey talks about why they ended up with the PC-12 over a jet:
[youtube]https://youtu.be/imbs6L5y3Gk[/youtube]

Wonder if yours is interfaced the same way. Who did the G600 install? Do you have drawings from it?

Interesting, I’d be curious the tech details if known. I’m unclear how the GTN config would affect the autopilot coupling.

Interesting, I’d be curious the tech details if known. I’m unclear how the GTN config would affect the autopilot coupling.

Interesting, thanks for the detail. I have noticed this lack of VLOC->GPS switch on #2 also. Mostly notice because the VNAV calcs don’t work. Haven’t noticed it affecting my approach capture, but I mostly have GTN#1 doing the navigating.

Tyler, you should send me that TBM while you figure this out.

PM me and we’ll work it out.