Insights
David Alexander, President
All of us at S-TEC take listening to you, the S-TEC dealer, very seriously. We believe that our mutual success over the last 19 years is, in large part, due to the fact that we understand the demands that are placed on you by the autopilot buyer. This understanding was the basis for the creation of the business and design philosophies that led to the building block design and our commitment to a 5 day delivery, among other things.
This issue of The Approach is dedicated to introducing to you, and the market, the NEW System Twenty, System Thirty, and System ThirtyALT, the latest result of our ability to listen and respond to what we hear.
During the reduced level of light aircraft production over the last 15 years or so, the kit airplane manufacturers were active. In addition to some very remarkable technology advances, this market segment has matured. The kit manufacturers have done a good job and deserve consideration from the rest of the aviation industry. Their success has led to several of them being on the verge of certifying their aircraft, which will provide them and the aviation consumer additional choices.
S-TEC has been recognized by the players in this market segment as the only flight control system manufacturer interested in being actively involved in making autopilots available to kit airplanes.
One of the challenges of these "personal" aircraft is the availability of panel space for the myriad of cockpit options an aircraft buyer is tempted to install. Seeing this challenge, our designers went to work to develop a new family of S-TEC autopilots which would require little, if any, panel space. We are proud to introduce our successful efforts to you here, the System Twenty and System Thirty.
In the Dealer Information Survey we conducted, you told us that a lot of buyers who considered the PSS as an add on to their existing roll system, opted not to buy because 1) they wanted altitude hold but could do without pitch command and glideslope coupling, and 2) the PSS price tag was more than they wanted to spend for this option. You went a little further and said that if we gave you an Altitude Hold ONLY autopilot that could be sold for around $3,000, you could sell it. The System ThirtyALT is our answer to your request.
In closing, please let me say that your needs and the needs of your buying public are why we're here. Keep the communication line open between us. Don't wait for the next survey to tell us what you need.
Return to The S-TEC Approach Newsletter Index