Single Axis Autopilots?

[Bill Putney]

So, I was talking to a guy at the FAA about autopilots and safety and NORSEE (Non Required Safety Enhancing Equipment). One of the items of safety equipment on the NORSEE target list were autopilots. So, how come NORSEE hasn't made autopilots easier to get into Certificated airplanes. They really reduce the workload in the inroute part of IFR and seem like they would increase safety in VMC as well. He kind of said that a simple (single roll axis) autopilot would be pretty easy to get installed but that 2 axis autopilots were a much bigger deal.

I guess there is a lot less FAA angst about the roll axis than there is about the pitch axis. Yeah, it would be nice to be able to couple a vertical approach and it would be nice to have altitude hold if your airplane is really pitch sensitive but for 90% of the time we're flying, a single axis AP would do the job.

I wonder if that would speed up things for Dynon? At least they'd give the other 580 types on their STC half an autopilot much quicker.

 

[airguy]

If you're in the business of selling stuff, you pay attention to what people want to buy. Not many people with a certified (or experimental, for that matter) aircraft that are interested in purchasing/installing an autopilot are going to prefer a single-axis to a dual-axis.

 

[Bill Putney]

I would prefer to buy a single axis autopilot this year and wait for the 2 axis autopilot in 10-15 years when that comes up in the list.

Dynon doesn't have to stop selling 2 axis autopilots. The experimental owners can all have them right now and they'll all opt for the 2 axis version. Dynon has done 4 certificated types in 2 years. So whoever is at the end of the 600 type list won't see a 2 axis autopilot this century at that rate. If the FAA is serious about getting half an autopilot in more certificated airplanes, I'd take that rather than nothing.