Contributing editor MICHAEL LEIGHTON reviews AeroVonics’ new MFD and shares his interview with one of the company’s owners.

In 2016, the FAA established a new certification process called NORSEE. That stands for Non-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment. Since that time, several companies have availed themselves of this process that allows aircraft owners to permanently install things like carbon monoxide detectors, USB power receptacles and sun visors in our certificated GA aircraft with a simple logbook entry from an A&P.

Author TROY WHISTMAN walks you through preparation for a flight with the state-of-the-art Garmin GFC 500 digital autopilot.

With Garmin’s introduction of the GFC 500 digital autopilot, more accurately an Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), capabilities previously absent in small General Aviation aircraft are now available for about $25,000 installed.

In the last article, we left off with our shiny new Garmin GFC 500 autopilot fully configured for departure. We’d been instructed to “fly heading 180, climb and maintain 3,000 feet.” 

Takeoff: From runway to airborne

With the preflight work done, take off as normal. Saying “Gear up, flaps up, yaw damper on,” will make you feel like one of the big kids, as you press the “YD” key and let the servos handle the rudder. Above 800 feet agl with the airplane cleaned up, reach over and enable the autopilot by pressing the “AP” button whenever you’re ready.

Try these troubleshooting tips before you visit your favorite avionics shop for service.

We all know it takes fuel to fly our aircraft from point A to point B, but we sometimes take for granted that communicating and navigating along the way is just as important to knowing how to manage your engine and fuel reserves.
    After more than 20 years running an avionics shop, I have seen, heard and experienced many different types of navcom problems. Some are really complicated, but many times the issues can be very simple.