540 and CDI needle/ blue tooth

OK I have a newly installed 540 with a KI209 and STEC30 autopilot went for my first two test flights this weekend since the 540 has been installed.  I have several issues and want to know if it is operator error or if I need to call the shop.

1. When I enter a direct to destination and the GPS screen paints a button hook flight path left or right the CDI needle is deflected to the opposite direction of the turn.  i.e the CDI needle and the magenta flight path are showing two different things and if on autopilot the AP will follow the CDI needle.  This happens for all angles of turns.  Is there a possibly setting in the 540 that I do not have set correctly?

2. In the VLOC mode the CDI needle is correct but I the AP will not track the CDI needle.  The AP will track the GPS output perfectly.  This maybe a shop question. 

3. How do you get into the maintenance mode to set up Bluetooth for the keyboard?

I'm not familiar with how STEC a/p's work, but...does your install include GPSS?  If not, then your autopilot may not be able to handle the buttonhook.

Edited by MysticCobra - 07 Mar 2016 at 7:27am

1964-m20e wrote: OK I have a newly installed 540 with a KI209 and STEC30 autopilot went for my first two test flights this weekend since the 540 has been installed.  I have several issues and want to know if it is operator error or if I need to call the shop. 1. When I enter a direct to destination and the GPS screen paints a button hook flight path left or right the CDI needle is deflected to the opposite direction of the turn.  i.e the CDI needle and the magenta flight path are showing two different things and if on autopilot the AP will follow the CDI needle.  This happens for all angles of turns.  Is there a possibly setting in the 540 that I do not have set correctly? 2. In the VLOC mode the CDI needle is correct but I the AP will not track the CDI needle.  The AP will track the GPS output perfectly.  This maybe a shop question.  3. How do you get into the maintenance mode to set up Bluetooth for the keyboard?

Edited by AviSimpson - 07 Mar 2016 at 9:49am

Hi 1964-m20e

1964-m20e wrote: I do not have GPSS and the STEC was already installed and working in the plane. The STEC will not keep up with procedure turns or large course changes in route without out GPSS.

1964-m20e wrote: It also does this on the course reversal portion of the approach i.e. flying away form the intended airport and you make the turn out for the tear drop course to align with the runway.  If the tear drop turns to the right the CDI needle will be fully deflected to the left even when right of the course.

I have noticed this behavior also and often wondered why it does that.  I get it in regards to VLOC and reverse sensing, it's a limitation of the technology.  But one of the basic tenets of RNAV is that you are always (or mostly always) navigating TO a waypoint.  So what if that waypoint is around a curved flight path.  I get that GPSS is currently what makes tracking the magenta line possible with RNAV, but why can't the IFD output signals to the CDI that indicate left or right of the magenta line when the magenta line is a curve.  It's able to calculate the curve, why not whether it is left or right of the curve?  And then output that to the CDI just like it would a straight segment.

I have noticed this same behavior with G*n's stuff too.  i fly with the Civil Air Patrol and a couple of our airplanes have GNS 4xx and a couple have GTN 6xx, and non of those have GPSS.  We also have a few G1000s which have GPSS integrated into the system.  It sometimes throws a pilot that flys the G1000s for a loop when they get into a plane that doesn't.  They expect the CDI to give guidance along the magenta line the first time they fly a course reversal without a G1000.

Having flown both G's stuff and the IFD, I really appreciate the IFD and Avydine's philosophy behind it.  It is so much easier to use than G*n.

With my previous GPS when a new waypoint was activated by direct to the needle would center and then begin to deviate accordingly as you "wandered" off course.  Unlike here where it goes full deflection opposite the direction you should be turning to make the smallest turn.  Not necessarily complaining just trying to understand the logic.