What are the autopilot options for the Crusader? I see that the STEC 55x is STC'd for it, but I saw one for sale with an STEC 3100.

Also, is the Cruise Air STC for increased power still available? I see reference to it being owned by Outlaw Aircraft now, but can't find info on either. Is this STC even worth it?

Cruise Air STC is nice for climb. The original 24" 2400 max climb cruise setting is too low. I usually did cruise at 24" and about 2400-2350 RPM depending on where it was smoothest. But I did use the STC increased MP for climb.

The STC has what I think is an error. It does not change the green arc of the fuel flow meter. Only the green arc of the Manifold pressure is increased.

So if you run top of the green MP and RPM in climb. New 27.5" MP and 2400 RPM and run top of the green on the original fuel flow meters you will burn them up.

The original top of green arc on the fuel flow is about 15.8 GPH. I remarked to change top of the green arc fuel flow about 20 GPH. Sorry I forget exactly what it was in lbs, I don't have the airplane and paperwork here anymore to check.

Blue arc on MP gauge above 27.5" to show full rich operation needed and allow the aneroid to lean automatically. From the factory.

I did call down to Outlaw 2 years ago and Robert was still there. I believe he would still sell the STC.

The most modern autopilot option is the STEC 3100. I believe Bob Thomason organized the STC process with Genesys. I have the 3100 with yaw damper and VNV options. It gets along pretty well with the Garmin navigators and G500txi. For example, you can adjust your VS or IAS (FLC) values from the G500 and that communicates back to the 3100. However, the G500 will not autoswitch to an ILS on final the way a Garmin autopilot will. So far as I know, there are no STCs for a Garmin AP for the Crusader.

Daniel have you had any troubles with the yoke rollers wearing on the yoke shafts and causing a step that catches slightly. Causing trouble with the autopilot altitude hold.

I have had other airplanes with the same black finishing anodizing on the yoke shafts wear on panel bushings or rollers.

Haven't had any trouble holding a pretty stable altitude. But thanks for the heads-up, Charlie, I'll keep my eyes open for wear on the shaft.

When I was an engineer at Cessna, we did not have good design guidance on O-ring selection. Each person had to figure it out for themselves or hope they had a supervisor that could give good guidance. O-rings for synthetic turbine oil were a particular problem.

Been off this thread as of late! Not the best pic, but it is N303KJ to which Charlie refers. Yes I can imagine if you took MP to the top of the green and tried to lean to top of green FF, you would fry the cylinders.

We have it on a trip to GA now and this airplane is an absolute joy to operate. Between my A-36, D-50B, and D95A, all great airplanes in their own right, this is by far my favorite!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... AdAAAAABAZ

Glad to hear she is still running good and working out for your trips.

Just to clarify those are the changed markings on your G500. Ad photo above is what the original gauge was marked like. Since the Manifold pressure gauge was changed with the Outlaw aircraft STC to bring the allowable climb or continuous cruise MP up to 27.5" I looked at that and decided the fuel flow should be also higher for running with those power settings.

The old top of green is 15.8 GPH. New top of green arc is about 20.3 GPH. Top of green climb MP should be roughly top of green fuel flow. Cruise you can come back further but I usually used 24" for cruise.

The new top of green is the bottom of the original blue arc which was usually full rich above that point and allow the fuel system to automatically lean as you climb. The original MP gauge also had a gap between the blue arc and top of the green which is gone with the STC.

If you ran the Outlaw STC max climb power of 27.5" and 15.8 GPH I didn't like the TIT numbers. Does the range match the STC or TCDS range markings. No. It was just my opinion.

The original gauge was marked in Lbs per hour. There is also maximum fuel flow marking for high altitudes max power on the original gauge that could not be added to the Garmin range markings. In the original POH there should be a drawing of the gauge and the altitude markings. Maybe a sticker with a table of altitude to corresponding max GPH and maybe MP could be added.

Thanks Charlie, yes she's running great.

Since we're on the performance topic, I do have another question I bet you know the answer to. Based on all the research and knowledge from here on BT I've been very leery of running LOP anywhere above 65% power. This because I know a normally aspirated engine reaches 65% power at roughly 8,000ft and at that altitude you can't really hurt it by a bit of over-aggressive leaning.

This being my first turbo normalized engine raises the obvious question because the critical boost altitude is even higher than I regularly fly at what point can you safely lean these engines. So far I've been limiting LOP to 65% which is equates to about 22 in MP at 8-10000 ft. I do not go very far LOP maybe 15 degrees and the cylinders remain cool.

Can this motor go safely LOP at 24 inches? I'm going to stay at 22in and 65% till I hear from wiser people!!

A few things to consider. It's not turbo normalized. Just simply turbocharged with no intercoolers.

Being close to peak EGT or TIT is bad either side of it. Further away is better.

The T303 engine is unusual. You have a TISO-520 but derated to 250hp by reducing maximum RPM to 2400.
Do we figure the 65% figure off of 300hp or 250?

The recommended cruise setting when original was about 180hp from 24" and 2400 RPM.
just below 75% of the 250hp. But under 65% of the 300hp.
The lower percent power at takeoff gives the longer TBO possibly.

The old top of the green cruise line in the T303 was about 15.8 GPH. I would say that is rich of peak.
If you look back into specific fuel consumption on old radials in WWII they could be manually leaned or an auto rich function.
Auto lean .54 lb / hp / hr. which for 180hp works out to 16.2 GPH
Manual lean to .49 lb / hp /hr works out to 14.7 GPH. I would say that would be about peak.

In the normally aspirated IO-520 on the 310 I end up about 14.5 GPH at the same HP power setting and 50-70F rich of peak on the cylinder that peaks first. Numbers are not far off. But that is non turbocharged. CHTs 380 or below.

Now the trouble is the T303 does not have tuned intakes or exhaust. Neither does the 310. Gami injectors are an option but you have to experiment to see if you can get all cylinders past peak comfortably without the ones furthest from peak quitting. Your airplane does have the Garmin engine monitor in the G500 so it has a Rich of peak or Lean of peak function. Also TIT has to be monitored.

There are pages and pages on here about LOP operations but your engines are a bit different.

For an experiment in cruise set the airplane up like normal. Then pull each engine back to lean of peak. make sure all cylinders have peaked and your far enough away the CHTs are 380 or below. Then read fuel flow and percent HP on the engine monitor. And cruise IAS.

After that push mixtures back up to 75 ROP both engines. Then reduce MP to set the percent power to match what you saw on the LOP setting. Let it stabilize and note fuel flow and airspeed. Are the airspeeds and fuel flow similar to running LOP? How does TIT compare between the ROP and LOP setting for the same percent power and airspeed.

You can try this at 2300 RPM vs 2400 RPM for example to see if the TIT ends up better. But I would not cruise lower than 2300 RPM. Continental has a SB on RPM below 2300 and the crankshaft life for all their 470 / 520

The difference between the T303 and a Bonanza is the T303 has a low cruise manifold pressure limit. 24" originally. The Outlaw Aircraft cruise STC gets it up to 27" but this prevents you from running the high 30" or more MP that the Bonanzas are running to get the performance back LOP.

It's a different animal than the others. Not bad just different.

Thanks Charlie, that's probably the best operational primer on this engine I've seen anywhere. And yes, not TN, words do mean things.

Yes, the 65% of what is a great question. To my knowledge the 520 was originally a 285hp engine so even running those numbers that's 74% of 250, practically 24 sq. While I've been sorting things out I've been mindful of staying away from peak and keeping the cyl temps 300-330 in cruise and certainly getting out of the blue at 500ft, setting climb power.

Next time out I'll run the LOP/ROP against %power drill like you describe. That should fill my remaining data gaps.

The airplane is an absolute wonderful traveling machine and I especially love how it easily it starts up, hot, cold, high, low....very awesome set up. Wife loves it too and the wing lockers are perfect for a case of Yuengling!

Great. please report what you find. I was usually riding with the last owners practicing approaches or flying to break in the new engine so I never got to really experiment to see what worked best.

Michael,

Any chance you'll be going to Oshkosh in July? I'll be there with my T303 as part of the Cessnas to Oshkosh group. Last year Oshkosh had at least 2 Crusaders (Bob T and a couple who flew over from Germany!). Always fun to meet up with other Crusader drivers.

Dan

Dan let me know if they are coming over from Germany again. I know a ex T303 owner in Switzerland named Bozi who would probably help fund the trip to catch a ride. I can send over his contact info. He has made several ferry trips across the Atlantic.

Bozi sent me some cool photos from a ski trip with his T303

Dan,

While not too far from OSH, maybe 200 miles?, I am quite leery of such large gatherings of aircraft. I am much more likely to show up if my company brings an A350 in this year and then I can spend the day after a "show and tell" stint.