I did quite a bit of priming this weekend, so I was able to finally put the finishing touches on some outstanding items like the elevator bellcrank. At the same time, the installation of the TruTrak autopilot servo for the elevator was appropriate. The installation came out very nice and is really pretty simple in operation. I really like the idea of using a stepper motor for the autopilot since they are very unlikely to jam.
You'll notice that the linkage between the stepper motor and the bellcrank is rather odd looking. This is because it is actually a strain gauge that provides feedback to another electric box that controls the elevator trim tab. When the strain gauge detects pilot pressure on the elevator because of an out-of-trim condition, the device will automatically feed in trim to compensate. This function is wired in parallel with the normal electric trim button on the stick that the pilot uses so the trim input from the system can always be overridden. Very cool! With a big, heavy, high-horsepower engine up front, the trim settings with different power settings will vary quite a bit. It will be cool to have a system that automatically compensates for that.
TruTrak Pitch Servo and Bellcrank Installation With Auto Elevator Trim Strain Gauge
TruTrak Pitch Servo and Bellcrank Installation With Auto Elevator Trim Strain Gauge
TruTrak Pitch Servo and Bellcrank Installation With Auto Elevator Trim Strain Gauge
