Genesys System 30 vs BendixKing AeroCruze 100 vs Garmin GFC 500

Congratulations! You have either purchased a new (to you) aircraft or are thinking about upgrading your current aircraft.

Either way, this is a cause for celebration!

Investing in an Autopilot will not only increase the value of your aircraft but ensure the future safety of you and your loved ones.

When considering an autopilot purchase, we need to first outline the objectives this upgrade will deliver. What kind of flying occupies most of your time? What capabilities and features MUST you have? What are the price range and budget for your autopilot + installation?

“The biggest thing to consider before your autopilot purchase is the mission and current state of your avionics.”
Says Andrew Barker, BendixKing VP Experimental & Americas Aftermarket Sales.

Andrew also adds, “What avionics do you currently have in your panel? What avionics do you want your autopilot to interface with in the future? Do you NEED (not want) coupled approaches? Do you need GPS steering? Do you need an interface to an IFR Navigator?”

The second major hurdle is installation cost. Many people compare price points of the initial purchase but don’t factor in the accrued installation cost that comes with a complex system or the cost of other required components.

As you get into any complex installation, hours will increase quickly and can rapidly push your upgrade over budget.

Here is a quick breakdown of the 3 most common low-cost autopilots on the market and a quick side by side comparison.

Genesys Aerosystems System 30

• Cost $12,989.00.
• Analog Autopilot.
• 2-axis Autopilot.
• Altitude hold only.
• GPSS costs extra.
• Hundreds of STC’s, light singles through medium twins.
• 3” standard round mount.

BendixKing AeroCruze 100

• Cost $5,100.00
• Digital Autopilot.
• Stand-alone system, require no interface to attitude source.
• AP Level Button returns aircraft to straight and level flight.
• Interfaces with nearly every Aviation GPS available, including hand-held GPS units.
• 2-axis, includes built-in Track Selector, Altitude Select, and GPSS.
• NOW includes interface to popular PFDs for heading bug and more.
• STC’d for all models of Cessna 172, Cessna 175, Cessna 177, Cessna 180, Cessna 182, Cessna 185, Piper PA-28, Piper PA-32 with manual flaps. (Mooney, Piper PA-24, Piper PA-30 in development)
• 2” & 3” round mount, 1.6”x4.3” flat-pack.

GARMIN GFC 500

• Cost “Starting At” $6,995.00.
• Digital Autopilot.
• Offers 2-axis, with optional automatic pitch-trim; yaw damper optionally available on limited aircraft.
• Additional features available, but requires interface to modern Garmin IFR Navigators.
• STC’d for some* light singles. * (make sure to check your model, limited model numbers within airframes.)
• Requires certificated G5 electronic flight instrument, G500 or G500 TXi2 for input and display of altitude preselect, heading, vertical speed, airspeed target, and flight director cues.

“The BendixKing AeroCruze100 has the most features and lowest typically lowest install cost for the $5,100 price point which is why it has been so successful,” Andrew concludes.

“If there are features that fall outside of the capabilities of the Bendix King AeroCruze 100, we recommend exploring the Bendix King AeroCruze 230.”