• A servo reports a fault condition.
• A servo reports a position beyonds its control limits (limits stored during the calibration procedure).
• The attitude indicator of ECLIPSE reports invalid data.
• The actual bank or pitch angle is out of the maximum limit (“Max roll bank” and “Max pitch angle” parameter).
• Only for “NAV” mode, if no valid data are received or no flight plane/GOTO has been done on the external GPS.
NOTE: A display and a vocal (on the audio out) alert comes when the autopilot cannot engage for any of the above
conditions.
If engaged, the autopilot will automatically disengage if any of the following conditions occurs:
• The ACU control unit is turned off.
• Loss of communication between ECLIPSE and ACU or between ACU and servos.
• A servo reports a fault condition.
• A servo reports a position beyonds its control limits (limits stored during the calibration procedure).
• The attitude indicator of ECLIPSE reports invalid data.
• Only for “NAV” mode, if no valid data are received or the flight plane on the external GPS is removed.
• On the ground, if you turn on the engine.
• Pilot taking control of the stick and overriding the servos for more than one second.
NOTE: A display and a vocal (on the audio out) alert comes when the autopilot automatically disengage for any of the
above conditions.
The autopilot system can be disengaged by the pilot via the following actions:
• If engaged in “HDG/TRK” mode: by pressing the “HDG/TRK” button on the ACU control unit (led will turn off).
• If engaged in “NAV” mode: by pressing the “NAV” button on the ACU control unit (led will turn off).
• If engaged in “ALT” mode: by pressing the “ALT” button on the ACU control unit (led will turn off).
• From the ECLIPSE menu, in the following way (only for “HDG/TRK” or “ALT” modes):
From the attitude indicator screen, press any button to show up the menu bar, rotate the knob to select the
“HDG BUG/AP” or “ALT BUG/AP” item and press to select it, after which press P2 button (“DISENGAGE AP”).
• Pressing the remote button, if installed
•
Turning off the ACU with the ON/OFF switch.
•
Opening the circuit breaker which provides power to the ACU
The ACU control unit must be turned off during landing and takeoff.
10.8.3 Details of operation
PREFLIGHT CHECK:
Everytime you intend to use the autopilot system perform the following checks on ground:
1- Move to its limits the flight controls (with autopilot disengaged) and check that full manual control is present.
2- Check servo direction:
With Eclipse on the attitude indicator screen and ACU control unit turned on, insert the autopilot by
pressing the “HDG/TRK” button on the ACU. Rotate clockwise the HDG/TRK knob (so that the
heading bug is at the right of the actual heading) and check that the flight control move as to turn the
aircraft right.
Rotate counter clockwise the HDG/TRK knob (so that the heading bug is at the left of the actual
heading) and check that the flight control move as to turn the aircraft left.
Engage the autopilot on pitch axis by pressing the “ALT” button on the ACU. Using the ALT knob set the altitude
bug to a higher value than the actual altitude and check that the flight control move as to increase the aircraft
altitude; set the altitude bug to a lower value than the actual altitude and check that the flight control move as
to decrease the aircraft altitude.
3- Check servos torque: with the autopilot engaged, manually force the control stick to its limits and check that it's
not difficult to override the force applied by the servos. Check also that after 1 second of overriding the servo, the
autopilot disengage.
If any of the previous checks is not successful, turn off the autopilot via the ON/OFF switch on
the ACU control unit and never turn it on during flight.
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