There IS An Easier Way To Let Your Autopilot Fly.... Sometimes its the little things that really improve your quality of flight... and the potential of some novel roll-steering solutions are sure to make a positive contribution to the busy pilot's IFR ambitions. Roll-Steering?? Whassat?? Well, in the case of Icarus Instruments, their Steering Assist Module (SAM) is an insanely small avionics accessory that allows your auto-pilot to make like (in some ways) an FMS. When flying a GPS flight plan, you typically fly in HDG mode and your autopilot flies the course you’ve set with the heading bug in the HSI. At each waypoint, the GPS displays the new track or heading to the next waypoint. You then must twist the HDG knob to the new course, often making several tweaks until the correct track is finally acquired. With GPS roll steering, the autopilot is provided with a dynamically calculated bank angle in advance of the new track, automatically accounting for ground speed, wind speed, and wind direction to accomplish a smooth turn on to the new track. These are figured into the turn calculation and the turn is started prior to the waypoint to achieve a comfortable, very precise turn to the new waypoint track. With WAAS-enabled receivers, Icarus says that not only will SAM and your autopilot fly the flight plan waypoints, they’ll fly your holds, procedure turns, and GPS approaches. Hey... what's not to like about that? Sit back, relax and let SAM do the brain work.... Aero-TV Checks Out The Roll-Steering Charms Of SAM! FMI: http://www.icarusinstruments.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews Copyright 2009, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.
