Autopilots

There's a lot of movement in the autopilot world right now. I'm building this list here to keep track of which options have what capabilities (most of which is academic)...


TruTrak:

TruTrak is one that will fly a track (set in the autopilot, no "heading bug" interface), GPS, or GPSS (ARINC429), and will fly GPS vertical guidance / vertical speed altitude preselect / altitude hold pitch, but won't talk to anything "analog" (ILS/VOR/LOC) or the heading bug on a DG, correct? (Still, for $5,000 + install ...)

Trio Pro Pilot:

Also does GPSS and GPSV, with an optional ARIN429 module; CRS mode uses rotary encoder to set  a course (like TRK mode on the TruTrak), can also do VS (and airspeed?) climbs/descents to pre-selected altitudes...

Garmin GFC500:

There's also the GFC500, which I was interested in (with a G500 TXi PFD), but I've since learned:

The GFC500 requires a G5 in order to function. The G5 serves as the attitude reference and is mandatory. The G500 cannot serve as the attitude reference (first thing I checked). The G500 also requires backup instruments as part of the STC, which specifies that the G5 CANNOT be used as a backup (non-TSOd). Even worse, the G5 can’t talk to the G500 AT ALL, meaning that spinning a new heading or altitude in the G500 won’t pass that information onto the G5 (and by extension, the autopilot). This holds true for spinning up a new heading bug on the autopilot control face, which will not be passed on to the G500. Extremely annoying. Going by an official response on the Garmin forum, this will not be changed.

In order to get that sort of setup to work, you’d need a) a G500, a G5, and a GFC500, as well as the annoyance of having to change two bugs any time you change heading and altitude, or b) a G500 and a GFC600, which is $12k ish more. Both of these options still require a backup attitude instrument (either a vacuum-driven standby, or an $11k TSOd electronic standby), per the STC.

Sigh.

SkyView HDX:

Looks amazing; not sure when more airframes will be approved (as of this writing they don't even have the C182/Baron they announced at launch approved yet). $24K, same price as the S-Tec 55X upgrade from an S-Tec 30, but includes the PFD, engine monitor, etc.

So many great options coming right around the corner...