Tru trak

[rmorris]

Stopped by the tru trak booth at osh...they've got install kits certified for 172 and 177. Said a piper is next and all about potential demand. Visit their website and show 337 interest...nothing required or committment made...just express interest. Speak up,make us heard.....

[loy53]

I talk to trio avionics they said they approval for a 172 & 182 with
177 before along and PA 28. They were making a list for the next
ones. I guess that would be the ones with the most interest?

Howard

[rmorris]

I don't see why all of us can't express intetest via both mfg websites...strength in numbers, so don't be passive, vote early and often.

Then we have options.

Key is that folks express an interest, so our model is not passed by...

[hharney]

Originally Posted by rmorris

Stopped by the tru trak booth at osh...

Are you at Sun N Fun?

[rmorris]

yep, here at SNF...today is last day at show, then leave Lakeland area tomorrow

almost did impules buy on MT props, but their STC doesn't cover the T337C. They said they think they can cover with expanded STC in next month or so, and asked me to buy then they would refund if they can't cover me. My impulse to buy wasn't that strong I told them to get the coverage first, then I would get out the credit card. On the positive side, they USA guys are in Deland and will put the props on at no charge when you buy from them.

[hharney]

If you can make it happen you won't be disappointed in the performance, smoothness and response. I have had the MT's for 15 years now, I would do it again. I just purchased a 3 blade for the Van's RV-8A that I am building. There was no question in my mind what prop I wanted on the 8. BUT........this prop has the scimitar blades. The blended airfoil type scimitar blade design is the newest design. Although it has been around for a while now there is none on Skymaster's. I think you could get a field approval and the help of Flight Resource in Wisconsin. I know that John that just bought a Skymaster in Canada has already ordered his MT's but decided the extra money for the scimitar design was out of his budget. The 3 blades have such a great static appearance but the scimitar blade would just expand that appearance 10 times over. Quieter, more efficient design and killer looks. Somebody needs to do it and you are going to have a great performer. Let's see it Robert......I really like talking to John at flight resource.

Flight Resource LLC
2111 W 20th Ave., Unit #12
Bloomer, WI 54724
Attn.: Mr. Larry Schlasinger or
John Nielsen

[kilr4d]

Originally Posted by rmorris

Stopped by the tru trak booth at osh...they've got install kits certified for 172 and 177. Said a piper is next and all about potential demand. Visit their website and show 337 interest...nothing required or committment made...just express interest. Speak up,make us heard.....

Signed up on their site for 337's.

[kilr4d]

Originally Posted by rmorris

almost did impulse buy on MT props, but their STC doesn't cover the T337C. They said they think they can cover with expanded STC in next month or so, and asked me to buy then they would refund if they can't cover me. My impulse to buy wasn't that strong I told them to get the coverage first, then I would get out the credit card. On the positive side, they USA guys are in Deland and will put the props on at no charge when you buy from them.

Been really happy with http://www.flight-resource.com/ and how they've worked with me. You might want to ask them also.

[kilr4d]

Originally Posted by hharney

If you can make it happen you won't be disappointed in the performance, smoothness and response. I have had the MT's for 15 years now, I would do it again.

Getting very close. Looking at the calendar, I should see mine within the next two weeks.

Originally Posted by hharney

The blended airfoil type scimitar blade design is the newest design. Although it has been around for a while now there is none on Skymaster's. I think you could get a field approval and the help of Flight Resource in Wisconsin. I know that John that just bought a Skymaster in Canada has already ordered his MT's but decided the extra money for the scimitar design was out of his budget.

Yes/no. I actually was prepared to step up for the scimitar blades but field approvals are USA only. No bueno with Transport Canada.

Originally Posted by hharney

The 3 blades have such a great static appearance but the scimitar blade would just expand that appearance 10 times over. Quieter, more efficient design and killer looks. Somebody needs to do it and you are going to have a great performer. Let's see it Robert...

Agreed. Do it Robert.

Originally Posted by hharney

I really like talking to John at flight resource.

Flight Resource LLC
2111 W 20th Ave., Unit #12
Bloomer, WI 54724
Attn.: Mr. Larry Schlasinger or
John Nielsen

Yup. They're excellent.

[rmorris]

Just posted a support ticket with questions to him on their website. Will keep you all updated.

[kilr4d]

Originally Posted by rmorris

Just posted a support ticket with questions to him on their website. Will keep you all updated.

As they like to say over at Nike...

[rmorris]

Larry got back to my email list of questions pretty quick, here is summary:
- could maybe get field approved, but he is working on STC and recommended waiting
- said he thinks the current semi-scimitar design is better for cooling on the Skymaster, so suggested that be the pick
- if I did upgrade to these 3-blade props and later decided I wanted to do an engine upgrade (something i am considering), then they would likely not be covered
- you must do both props at one time (I had asked if you could do 1 at a time, to spread out costs, similar to what I heard Owen Bell has offered in the past)

so...unlike Nike, I got to wait it seems....just hope my urge to impulse buy is still around when they get the STC done

[rmorris]

Traded more emails with Larry, then we chatted on phone today...
1) doesn't look good to get MT prop STC for my T337C...which we both agreed was weird. So he said he thought he could get field approved, just costs me $1500 more that way. I said that since we were field approving, how about a 4-blade scimitar model? I saw one on a Cirrus SR22T and thought it looked great, plus owner said cooling of 4-blades was good. Larry said the TSIO-360 would not push the 4-blades. Then I dropped back to asking about 3-blade scimitar (per your egging on) since we were field approving...he said that he didn't recommend because of cooling. He said the 119 blades were the ones he suggested be used.

2) different topic, but discussed on phone with him...changing out my engines when doing the props. We talked about going to a single engine turbine pusher, or upgrading both engines similar to Riley STC. Based on cost and other plane options available without the hassle, the Riley (or similar dual bigger engines) seems the more reasonable path. he is going to investigate some. If anyone has good info to lead him in right direction on current STC to either use, or use as basis for field approval, please provide asap.

[kilr4d]

Originally Posted by rmorris

..Based on cost and other plane options available without the hassle, the Riley (or similar dual bigger engines) seems the more reasonable path. he is going to investigate some...

I would pursue an existing Riley or a different twin altogether before tackling a conversion. Soooo time consuming and expensive to see those kind of projects through to completion.

[hharney]

It has been a while since I have given you all an update on how things are going, so here you go! :-)

Things are moving forward very well in the weeks since Sun N Fun when we received approval of the installation kit for the C172 and C177. We are also currently working on installation design for the C182 and PA-28.

The majority of our time is being spent on finalization of the paperwork and flight testing required for the full system approval. We are still very much on track to have that all completed in time to begin deliveries at AirVenture. These are probably cumbersome and fairly boring details as far as most of you are concerned, but they are actually quite important!

On May 25th we did another flight with the FAA demonstrating failure modes and some more normal use modes of the Vizion autopilot system. This was done in our C172 with special failure mode software installed in the autopilot. We also were able to show them, for the first time, our TOP SECRET new feature that will be included in the Vizion system at launch in July! They absolutely loved the feature and are very excited about it’s inclusion in the final product.

One of our main reasons for wanting to offer the Vizion to the certified market is to improve the safety of the existing fleet. Because of the way the Vizion autopilot is designed, the failure modes that we demonstrated to the FAA actually require multiple failures to even be possible, but we wanted to make sure that we tested and demonstrated things in the absolute worst case scenario. During this flight we demonstrated things such as dual max servo velocity hard over failures, servo lockups, and gyro / pressure transducer failures. Through ALL of these tests, the aircraft remains quite flyable and in the “real world” the autopilot will actually recognize these failures and automatically disconnect.

I think that is all for now, looking forward to seeing you all in Oshkosh.

As always, please share this email with anyone that you know that is not on the list and should be!

Andrew Barker
President / CEO
TruTrak Flight Systems