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older TruTrak EFIS with Garmin 430W

mikelupo

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I have the TruTrak EFIS installed along with a Garmin 430W. I can fly GPS approaches but cannot fly any ILS approaches. I get no vertical guidance. Seems I need an ARINC 429 interface. I'm informed by Jesse Saint that the one that TruTrak manufactured is out of production for a long while now, but that's the one I'd need.
Would anyone know where I could get one or have any experiences to share that could help me?

Regards,
Mike
 
approaches

You wouldn't happen to have an SL30 in the aircraft? The TruTrak ARINC converter actually emulated the SL30 interface, so if you happen to have an SL30, you could just hook that up directly to pin 30 on the TT EFIS.
 
@TruTrakAndrew. Thank you for your reply. I have a SL40, comm only.
Hours after I posted, I went to the hangar and took a hard look behind the panel. I indeed do have a TruTrak ARINC 8000-135 (TS-43) ARINC module.

It looks like the ILS pins were all hooked up based solely on my observation of of the gold pins inside the D-Sub connector. (gold pins installed versus no pins).

Edit: I just learned from the previous owner (moments ago) that the AC can track a VOR, and can shoot a localizer approach. Trying to shoot an ILS gets downgraded to a localizer approach due to no EFIS providing no vertical guidance. So now, the question becomes...why? What would cause that?
 
I only get vertical guidance when the AP is coupled to the LPV approach and it's on the glide slope.

This is what the previous owner said to me in a text message. Hope this helps.
"VOR nav works great and you should be able to fly VOR and localizer approaches. Even though the 430 receives glide slope data on its approaches the information is not displayed on the EFIS. so ILS approaches will degrade to localizer. You can fly LPV approaches with vertical guidance when the autopilot is on. I expect you’ll also get vertical guidance on LPV approaches if you turn in the flight director...."
 
Do you get ILS shown above the CRS softkey on the EFIS? or does it only show VOR?

I hate to say this but I don't recall that we ever flew the glide slope portion on the autopilot. My memory could be cloudy for sure! The most current version of the manual is available here:

https://www.bendixking.com/content/...00-057-EFIS-Autopilot-Installation-Manual.pdf

On page 14, it shows that you should see ILS when a valid signal is present, but that the AP isn't supposed to follow these signals. If memory serves, the autopilot is actually following the GPS overlay of the VOR approach when you are flying an analog approach, which would mean that the autopilot is technically in GPS Steering at that time. The display should be showing the CDI and VDI of the analog approach, but the autopilot would be following the bank angle commands from the digital side of the GPS.
 
I know I see VOR over the CRS softkey, but I can't recall if it's VOR/ILS or just VOR. This I will have to investigate further.

Given this information and if I understand you and the manual correctly... if I can get it to display the ILS above the CRS label, then It should be able to give me the course guidance on the display...but the AP will not track it. I could hand-fly it.

I'll have to try this next time I'm out in the RV-10. I'll let you know here once I do.

Thanks again Andrew for your time and energy spent here.

Mike
 
That sounds correct to me. Just let me know what you find out next time you are able to fly. I am not the best about checking back on the forums (no excuse I know!)...so please don't hesitate to PM or email me!
 
Hi Andrew, Just a brief follow up. I am able to get the ILS soft-key to appear once the ILS comes into radio range. I am able to get the vertical guidance indicator to appear. And...as the manual says. The AP or FD will not take any inputs from the ILS. That's a shame, because it's a very capable autopilot otherwise.

In Summary, I can hand-fly the ILS now. So I think there are no further barriers to me using my RV-10 for my instrument check-ride.

Would be cool to take a look at the source code of this unit.
Surely Bendix would never release that. :(

Mike
 
If either of you guys has a better manual or pilots guide for the trutrak efis ap I would love to see it. The one you can download from the website leaves a little to be desired.
 
You wouldn't happen to have an SL30 in the aircraft? The TruTrak ARINC converter actually emulated the SL30 interface, so if you happen to have an SL30, you could just hook that up directly to pin 30 on the TT EFIS.
Hello Andrew,
Quick question. I have the Vizion 385 and an SL30 Nav/Com in my 9. I have the AFS 4500 with their ARINC module. Can I shoot a coupled ILS with that setup? I haven’t tried because I thought the Vizion 385 wouldn’t couple to an ILS and have been relying on LPV approaches only.
Thanks
 
I have the TruTrak EFIS installed along with a Garmin 430W. I can fly GPS approaches but cannot fly any ILS approaches. I get no vertical guidance. Seems I need an ARINC 429 interface. I'm informed by Jesse Saint that the one that TruTrak manufactured is out of production for a long while now, but that's the one I'd need.
Would anyone know where I could get one or have any experiences to share that could help me?

Regards,
Mike

Did you check to see that the 430 has the vertical labels enabled?

Vic
 
It’s fine actually. I just didn’t understand my equipment. I’m still learning!
I do get vertical guidance with the ILS but I have to hand-fly the approach.
The AP or FD take no action based on ILS inputs.

Thanks for the reply.
Mike
 
Hello Andrew,
Quick question. I have the Vizion 385 and an SL30 Nav/Com in my 9. I have the AFS 4500 with their ARINC module. Can I shoot a coupled ILS with that setup? I haven’t tried because I thought the Vizion 385 wouldn’t couple to an ILS and have been relying on LPV approaches only.
Thanks

That will depend on the output of the 4500. I can't recall if they were doing vertical steering for ILS approaches. The Vizion doesn't have the ability directly to do any analog approach coupling (even when it is sent digitally). It requires conversion of the deviation signal to either a fixed width course or to a vertical speed command.
 
If either of you guys has a better manual or pilots guide for the trutrak efis ap I would love to see it. The one you can download from the website leaves a little to be desired.

I think the one that Andrew referenced earlier in this thread is the last one that was published.
 
AFS4500 coupled ILS

I started flying N174RT with an AFS4500 (before getting the first customer AFS5600). The AFS4500 would convert the ILS signals from my SL30 or my GNS430W to ARINC signals that the AFS branded TruTrak AP used to fly fully coupled ILS approaches. I believe AFS was one of the first companies to support coupled ILS approaches like this. Suggest verifying with Rob at AFS.

Regards,
 
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