Folks; I own a 1968 Arrow 180. She’s been mine for going on 19 years. In 2022 I upgraded my panel to include a G5 in the HSI position replacing the old DG. I replaced my 155XL GPS with a non-wass GNS 430, I removed the original King 175B and moved my Narco 12B into the #2 nav/com position. A GAD 29B provides translation to autopilot from GNS and G5. I retained my vacuum operated AI and elected to retain my very operational Piper Auto Control III (a relabeled Century IIB) autopilot. I left the Narco and it’s VOR/GS indicator as a complete stand-alone unit not connected to G5 nor the AP.
The installation works great following the heading bug or in GPSS mode. A minor bit of wing-waggle but keeps course well and works fine when coupled for approaches all the way to the FAF (probably all the way to the ground – but I don’t). It anticipates turns, even very sharp ones, and does not overshoot and always banks to a perfect 2 min turn. But—
--- it has never tracked when the GNS 430 is placed in VLOC. The green line and the DCI come up on the G5. I can set the OBS and everything appears fine. I can hand fly LOC approaches or VOR courses with no issues. So IAW the autopilot manual, I set the heading bug to the inbound course (LOC) or my desired radial (VOR), (select the OBS course for VOR) and place my radio coupler in Nav, Omni or LOC as appropriate; power up the autopilot-- and nothing happens. No bank, no intercept, just wings level flight and shoots right through the Localizer or Radial. I can slew the heading bug far off the course and the plane will turn partially like the bug has some effect – but it does not track.
I had the Autopilot amplifier overhauled by Autopilot’s Central several years ago, and with the upgrade changed the old mod 1 Radio Coupler out per recommendation of Autopilots Cent, with a 1C-388M with a high serial number. It worked fine before we installed the new stuff and works great in Hdg mode and GPSS as I’ve mentioned. Pins 21 and 22 of P4001 of the GPS are connected directly & correctly to pins A & B on CD-34 to the radio coupler per the Garmin installation manual. I have pin to pin continuity in both wires. We swapped out the 430 with a known operational unit and the same results. So am stymied.
Anyone out here with a similar install? Any issues? Suggestions?
The installation works great following the heading bug or in GPSS mode. A minor bit of wing-waggle but keeps course well and works fine when coupled for approaches all the way to the FAF (probably all the way to the ground – but I don’t). It anticipates turns, even very sharp ones, and does not overshoot and always banks to a perfect 2 min turn. But—
--- it has never tracked when the GNS 430 is placed in VLOC. The green line and the DCI come up on the G5. I can set the OBS and everything appears fine. I can hand fly LOC approaches or VOR courses with no issues. So IAW the autopilot manual, I set the heading bug to the inbound course (LOC) or my desired radial (VOR), (select the OBS course for VOR) and place my radio coupler in Nav, Omni or LOC as appropriate; power up the autopilot-- and nothing happens. No bank, no intercept, just wings level flight and shoots right through the Localizer or Radial. I can slew the heading bug far off the course and the plane will turn partially like the bug has some effect – but it does not track.
I had the Autopilot amplifier overhauled by Autopilot’s Central several years ago, and with the upgrade changed the old mod 1 Radio Coupler out per recommendation of Autopilots Cent, with a 1C-388M with a high serial number. It worked fine before we installed the new stuff and works great in Hdg mode and GPSS as I’ve mentioned. Pins 21 and 22 of P4001 of the GPS are connected directly & correctly to pins A & B on CD-34 to the radio coupler per the Garmin installation manual. I have pin to pin continuity in both wires. We swapped out the 430 with a known operational unit and the same results. So am stymied.
Anyone out here with a similar install? Any issues? Suggestions?
