Category Archives: Flight Controls

Autopilot Pitch Servo

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Time: 2 Hours

I received one autopilot servo from Aircraft Spruce today and got right to work installing it. I decided to put it in the pitch spot since that’s the toughest one to get to back in the tail cone. I had installed the mounting bracket a few years ago when I had the tail still open in prep for today. So the process was pretty easy. I started by putting a 9 pin d-sub connector on the end. This is the matching connector to the one I had wired already back to the location where the servo will be mounted.

I did a quick test by connecting the d-sub connector to the one in the RV and powering up the SkyView system. I had issues right away when I powered on the autopilot switch. After a short time searching for issues I decided to take a look at the d-sub pin layout of the wiring I did a few years ago in the tail. Turns out I had a different layout than what Dynon called for on the servo end. So I made a note of how the layout was and changed the pin layout on the connector on the servo. A re-test proved to be perfect. So I then installed the servo which isn’t very easy especially as you are laying in a tight space of the tail. I secured the wires and torqued all the nuts. I also safety wired the two bolts that screw into the servo.

I did the servo calibration and tested the function and all was perfect. Now to order the second servo for the roll axis and get that installed. Every step is getting me closer to flying.

Control Cable Bracket

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Time: 4 Hours

Since I have used an alternate throttle quadrant from DMJ and placed it aft of where the stock controls would go I have to fabricate a cable support. The cables need a anchor point so that they can function properly and not move as the controls are moved. I followed my buddy Glenn’s lead and created one similar to his. It started with some basic measurements for where I would mount it. I used one of the three cables to line up the cable end and make a measurement how far forward of the quadrant I would need to mount the bracket. Once I had these measurements I sketched these out on a piece of some aluminum angle. With the band saw, files and my 3M wheels I got it in the shape I designed. I mounting this bracket to the side wall angle that would have been used by the stock arm rest/throttle quadrant. I drilled two holes in the bracket followed by match drilling through them into the side wall angle. Two AN3 bolts secured the bracket to the angle. I ran the three cables, throttle, mixture and propellor, through the firewall openings, through the gear tower and then the bracket. I secured the cables on the bracket with the supplied nuts and star washer. The ends of the three cables have a threaded section for a clevis and jam nut to screw onto. Them the clevis gets a pin through the hole in it and the hole in the quadrants arms. I put the pins in temporally to get the fitment tested. Once I connect the other ends and test the operation I will secure the pins in the clevis with cotter pins. As the cables pass through the gear tower I will place snap bushings that I will cut a split into. These bushings will snap over the cable and then I will slide them into place. Where the cables pass through the firewall I have “eyeball” pass throughs. These needed to be drilled to a larger diameter to accept the cables. I removed the eyeball and drilled them in a vice and cleaned all the edges up before putting them on the cables and securing them to the firewall.