AA-5, AA-5A, AA-5B, AG-5B Are Included in This STC
The STC Group, LLC, has announced that it has received an STC for the installation kit for the non-TSO'd Trio Pro Pilot digital autopilot into all models of Grumman (Tru Flight Holdings LLC) AA-5 aircraft. The full-featured Trio Pro Pilot autopilot brings a robust set of features to the legacy fleet at an affordable price.
"Cooperation from the FAA and support from industry organizations such as AOPA and EAA has accelerated STC approvals for new aircraft makes and models," said STC Group LLC Founder and CEO Paul Odum.
Mr. Odum started on the project in 2016 to certify the Trio Avionics Experimental autopilot after becoming frustrated with efforts to install a traditional aftermarket autopilot in his 1975 Cessna 182P. The typical analog autopilots were expensive to buy and install.
Mr. Odum wanted the capabilities and price points he'd seen used safely in Experimental airplanes. To make that leap, Mr. Odum linked up with a team of career Cessna and Northrup aeronautical engineers and other aviation professionals to form the STC Group LLC. The STC Group LLC has expanded its staff to include FAA Certified IA & A&P personnel and an FAA Designated Engineering Representative. The STC Group LLC maintain autopilot installation facilities at Oxnard Airport, CA, KOXR.
"Trio's Pro Pilot autopilot has a proven record of reliability in the Experimental and warbird fleets. As such, it is an excellent off-the-shelf choice to retrofit into the legacy GA fleet based on its record of safety and reliability," said Mr. Odum. The company's STC covers all variants of the Cessna 172, 175, 180, 182, 185, PA-28, and now the Grumman (Tru Flight Holdings LLC) AA-5.
STCs for the Cessna 190, 195, several Cessna 210 models, and Piper PA-32 are in development and expect to be STC'd this Fall. Trio was established in 2000 and has delivered some 3,000 autopilots around the world. Trio Avionics and The STC Group LLC have delivered over 175 Trio Pro Pilot Autopilots to the legacy General Aviation fleet August 2017.
The two-axis Pro Pilot model utilizes roll and auto-trim pitch servos to provide precise horizontal and vertical navigation capabilities. Altitude control includes climb and descent functions with altitude pre-select. Vertical navigation can be flown at pilot-selected speeds. When connected to a WAAS-enabled GPS, the Trio Pro Pilot can fly the lateral and vertical portions of RNAV approaches and other procedures. The ability to fly localizer, back course, and glideslope will be added in coming months. The digital autopilot provides flight envelope protection, nudging the flight controls away from an overspeed or stall situation. An "automatic 180-degree turn" feature can guide VFR pilots out of inadvertent weather encounters-a feature that has been credited with saving lives in Experimental aircraft.
Chuck Busch, Trio Avionics president and designer of the Pro Pilot, said, "As Experimental aircraft builders, our primary design goal has always been safety of flight. We are especially proud that our Pro Pilot incorporates many safety features that are unique in the industry."
The STC Group's efforts have benefited from the FAA's willingness to reconsider its traditional certification methods. The STC Group is selling Trio Pro Pilot autopilot, installation kits, including the STC and drawings, for most aircraft types on the STC for $6,245.00 not including tax (California) and shipping.
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