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Sonnyz View Drop Down
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    Posted: 05 Feb 2019 at 1:00pm
I have both the IFD540 and 440 installed in my panel and I recently upgraded to the new STEC 3100.  When on a RNAV final approach the autopilot flies the plane slightly offset to the left of course with the CDI centered. I have been told by STEC that they know about this and it is specific to Avidyne units.  Has anyone out there heard or experienced this? I am wondering if this is something that will be corrected in the next software release. 
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Points: 51 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote forkauto Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Feb 2019 at 2:19pm
I read a post about this on the PiperOwner forum. Another owner has the 3100 with an IFD and supposedly STEC is coming out with a software issue to solve the problem
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Kentucky Captain View Drop Down
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Points: 234 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kentucky Captain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2019 at 3:35am
I have had the same problem with my IFD540/STEC-30 combo.   When coupled  to the autopilot it tracks fine until you get inside the IAF.  It will slowly move off center to the right where it will end up at least a half a dot off at a 1 mile final.  This is on an ILS or RNAV approach.  I've talked to the folks at Avidyne and STEC without any resolution in sight.  I've finally given up and am contemplating replacing the STEC with a Tru-Trak.
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chflyer View Drop Down
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Points: 1035 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chflyer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2019 at 5:29am
You realize that the Tru-Trak only does GPS, not ILS/LOC/VOR?
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Points: 145 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Flybuddy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2019 at 9:27am
I think that all TruTrak needs to track an ILS/LOC/VOR is 429 input. The Aspen products have 429 but I don't think they are software compatible yet.
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Kentucky Captain View Drop Down
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Originally posted by chflyer chflyer wrote:

You realize that the Tru-Trak only does GPS, not ILS/LOC/VOR?


Yes, I'm willing to trade my STEC with it's wandering final and altitude hold only for an autopilot that holds the centerline and does full V-Nav even if only on a GPS approach.

I went back and looked at my past practices.  My airport only has GPS approaches.  Most every airport that I fly to has a GPS approach.  If I need to fly an ILS or VOR approach, I can still hand fly it.  The Tru-Trak also has a bunch of other features that my STEC does not.

I did get to talk to Andrew Barker, the President of TruTrak at the last AOPA regional Fly-in.  From what I remember, the limitation on non-GPS approaches was one imposed by the company in order to facilitate certification, not the lack of compatibility.  I would bet that in the near future that this issue will be handled.

All I need now is for my big house to sell so that I can have only have the one that we built to down-size into and free up some funds.  Anyone looking for a 6000sq/ft house with an elevator, theater, and a huge chef's kitchen in KY?
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Points: 190 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rolfe_tessem Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 3:37pm
My STEC 55x is rock solid on all types of approaches, unless of course the crosswind gets truly excessive.

Rolfe
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310pilot View Drop Down
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The Stec 3100 when coupled with Avidyne IFD continues to track left of course when inside the FAF on GPS approaches. Considerable Safety concern that STEC should have caught in their unit testing. No expected date for this to be fixed has been announced.

Edited by 310pilot - 12 Apr 2019 at 10:54pm
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Kentucky Captain View Drop Down
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Points: 234 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kentucky Captain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 12:49am
Originally posted by 310pilot 310pilot wrote:

The Stec 3100 when coupled with Avidyne IFD continues to track left of course when inside the FAF on GPS approaches. Considerable Safety concern that STEC should have caught in their unit testing. No expected date for this to be fixed has been announced.


Maybe it's just a function of STEC.  My STEC 30 coupled to the IFD540 and Aspen will stay right on centerline all the way to the IAF, where it then tracks right of course all the way to the threshold.  It behaves the same regardless of whether it's an ILS or RNAV approach.  I've had many conversations with STEC, Avidyne, and Aspen and no resolution has presented itself to date.  I give up.  I will be on the list later this month for the Aspen Max upgrade and expect my number to come up around September.  At that time I will also replace the STEC 30 with the Tru Trak autopilot.  Before all of the nay sayers jump on me, yes I know that it will only couple for an RNAV approach.  My airport, BRY, has an LPV and LNAV but no ILS.  In fact, the only airport that I fly to regularly that has an ILS is BUY but it also has an LPV to the same runway.  In any case, I can always hand fly an ILS or VOR approach.  I'll make those concessions any day to get VNAV, Altitude pre-select, Speed Climb, and envelope protection, all at a fraction of the price that I paid for the STEC.

310pilot, I'm guessing that you are based out of LOU?  Come on done to BRY today (Saturday).  We are having a breakfast fly-in from 8:30 to 11:00 am.  We also have the cheapest fuel in the state at $3.94
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Sonnyz View Drop Down
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Points: 12 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sonnyz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 10:42am
310pilot, do you own a plane with the 3100 and Avidyne in it? If so, I am interested in hearing your thoughts and experience with the 3100 
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Kentucky Captain View Drop Down
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Points: 234 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kentucky Captain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 2:02pm
Originally posted by Sonnyz Sonnyz wrote:

310pilot, do you own a plane with the 3100 and Avidyne in it? If so, I am interested in hearing your thoughts and experience with the 3100 



No, sorry.  My C172 has the STEC30 but it has the same issues.
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310pilot View Drop Down
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Points: 102 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 310pilot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 5:27pm
Sonny
Yes sir I do. A Cessna 310Q Colemill with a 3100 driven from Aspen and the IFD 540. Slew of problems with the 3100 would not recommend getting one at this time. Many of these problems should of been caught before the 3100 was released.
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Sonnyz View Drop Down
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Points: 12 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sonnyz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Apr 2019 at 7:02am
I agree it was released too soon. What kinds of problems have you had?
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310pilot View Drop Down
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—problems with pitch mode uncommanded pitch increases after take off / blows through preselected altitude 

—porpoises in altitude hold

—oscillations in roll modes

—won’t initialize in flight

—flies left of course on gps approach inside FAF

—goes full scale deflection on g/s when adding notch of flaps on approach

—hand fly with fd on to preselected level off altitude, airplane in trim and turn ap on when 3100 shows Alt Cap. Autopilot pitches up aggressively away from captured altitude 
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Toadpilot View Drop Down
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Points: 42 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Toadpilot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Nov 2023 at 4:47pm
I know this is an old post, but I am waiting to install a STEC-3100 in my PA-30. Can anyone confirm if the issues with the STEC-3100 flying off course during an approach, when paired with an IFD, still exist? I am assuming if any issues were fixed, it would have been with the 3100 1.4 software update. Any updates would be greatly appreciated.

Edited by Toadpilot - 08 Nov 2023 at 4:49pm
Jeff Hullinger
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IFD550/IFD440/EX500/AMX240/
RDR2100/GMX345/GDL69A/
SKY497/STEC60-2/G5 AI/G5 HSI
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310pilot View Drop Down
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Points: 102 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 310pilot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Nov 2023 at 12:17am
The only problem I still have with the 3100 is intermittent disconnects. Genesys doesn’t seem to be able to help. The problems listed above seem to be a thing of the past and is still a huge improvement over the old autopilots on the market. You may have to get a little help from Genesys but when you get the kinks ironed out , you will really like it.
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Points: 42 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Toadpilot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Nov 2023 at 7:27am
Thank you for the update, I appreciate it. I am hoping to hear from a PA-30 owner who had the STEC 3100 installed about how it went and is performing. It is a newer approval, so there aren't many installed yet.
Jeff Hullinger
1964 Piper PA-30 N97VP
IFD550/IFD440/EX500/AMX240/
RDR2100/GMX345/GDL69A/
SKY497/STEC60-2/G5 AI/G5 HSI
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b2002 View Drop Down
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For those having issues with the 3100, if your IFD Wi-Fi is on, try turning it off and see if that has any effect.  Restart the IFD after turning off Wi-Fi for an accurate test.

My 550 is mounted very close to a pair of GI 275s.  I had all sorts of intermittent GPS signal problems with the 275s which also caused the 3100 to disconnect so much it was unusable.  Just by chance I discovered the interference source was the 550 Wi-Fi signal.  My setup now works great with the IFD Wi-Fi turned off.  Perhaps with more physical space between units the interference is less obvious but still can affect things?

To be fair, we haven’t checked with Avidyne yet to see if my issue is a one-off hardware issue or something else.  I am curious if anyone else discovers a correlation between gps signal/disconnects and IFD Wi-Fi.
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Points: 21 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote b2002 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2024 at 9:36am
Update from my post above…

I still haven’t worked with Avidyne to resolve the IFD 550 WiFi interference issue.  I don’t use the WiFi anyway, so leaving it off isn’t an issue for me.

The STEC3100 continues to perform really well for me.  None of the issues in the earlier posts.

Has anyone with the issues checked yet to see if the WiFi signal is a factor?

B55 Baron
IFD550, IFD540
Dual GI275s
STEC3100
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