I’m still getting comfortable with using it, but if you are familiar, there is a right way, wrong way, and a Garmin way to do things.
The good: rock solid holding of heading and altitude. It is making corrections before you realize you have drifted. Light weight. I was able to lose about 10 pounds getting rid of the vacuum system and adding auto pilot. It follows an rnav approach like it’s on rails.
The bad: for altitude, you have to pick one, actively and decide how to get there.
On an approach, there are many trim commands, which you might otherwise manage with power changes. It requires an investment in other Garmin equipment increasing installation price but ultimately, I’m glad it force me to ditch the vacuum system. Installing with RSTOL requires placarding not to use flaps with it engaged but it’s not hard to drop the flaps on short final or not use them.
Overall very pleased and grateful for the online community that helped.

frstnflt, or if anyone else has a Robertson STOL equipped 185 with A/P, if it's not too much hassle I am looking for a drawing or photo of how the STEC bracket attaches to the bellcrank assembly. Short of removing the assembly and playing jenga with it I am hoping to get an idea of how the adapter bracket attaches.

Thanks,
Peter

Hello,

I have a Cessna 210 with a Robertson STOL kit installed and I'm being told Garmin doesn't have an STC for the C210 and GFC 500. I see some of you have this done with the RSTOL kit, any guidance would be much appreciated!

Thank you,
IV

It is not in an easy spot to take a photo as it is between inspection panels and you can only get a side view but the Garmin letter tells you the exact placement and sequence of hardware. I do have a photo I can send you but it is not clear enough to start an installation.

Thanks for your input! Did your GFC 500 installer explain what might happen if you engaged your AP w/ flaps deployed? I haven't been able to find any answers on this anywhere! Thanks.

Update from Garmin...

We have the Cessna 180 R/STOL project lined up and it is expected to begin later this year.

Feel free to reach out to me for updates, but best guess is by March it should be approved. We will also be approving our own bellcrank adaptor for those that require it.

rbaron11 wrote:Thanks for your input! Did your GFC 500 installer explain what might happen if you engaged your AP w/ flaps deployed? I haven't been able to find any answers on this anywhere! Thanks.

No. That cable does not move when flaps are deployed so probably would not hurt anything. This human servo finds that larger inputs are needed(gains) but the system adapts well to different speeds so I bet it would work fine. Given the flap deploy speed on RSTOL is lower than you would want to fly an approach it is not a limitation and not much of a chore to dump the flaps on short final. I spoke with a Canadian guy who had to put an autopilot kill switch that triggered if one moved the flap handle.