Carenado Turbo Commander 690B Systems Reference Guide

Throttle Quadrant
The Turbo Commander 690B has a power lever and a speed lever for each engine.

The Engine Speed Lever controls engine speed in the upper part of its range, and allows for
emergency engine shutdown and propeller feathering in the lower part of its range. Flight
operations are conducted at an RPM range 96% to 100%, while ground operations are conducted in
the "LO GROUND" range.

The Engine Speed Lever is controlled by X-Plane's keyboard or joystick propeller controls, and
can also be manipulated via the mouse. The Power Lever is controlled by X-Plane's throttle
controls.
Electrical System
DC power is supplied by two 28 Volt 300-amp generators, and two 24 Volt batteries.

The system is divided into 4 main busses for the pilot (Main/Battery, "Control", "Distribution",
and "Cabin"), plus two Radio busses. The Radio busses are considered to always be tied in X-
Plane.
"CONTROL" Bus:
- Door Lock
- Cabin Lights
- Panel Lights
- Position/Nav Lights
- Anti-collision Lights (Beacon)
- Strobe Lights
- Left landing Light

"DISTR" Bus:
- L and R ENG INLET heaters
- L and R Pitot/Fuel vent heaters
- Right Landing Light
- Wing Ice Light
- Defog blower

"CABIN" Bus:
- Reading Lights
- Right Windshield heater
- Credenza Light

Main Bus:
- All remaining electrical items, other than avionics.

The "TIE" switch ties the CONTROL and DISTR (Distribution) busses together. If the
"TIE" switch is on and either bus is powered, the other bus is also powered.

External Power is available via the "EXTR PWR" switch, left of the Battery switch.
This switch also serves to place the batteries in either parallel or series for starting the engines.

- PAR: This is the normal position for starting the engines, when the outside air temperature is
between 0 degrees C and +31 degrees C. This position also connects external power while the
plane is on the ground.

- SER: This position is used when the outside air temperature is below 0 degrees C, or
above +31 degrees C. This position also turns off external power while the plane is
on the ground.
AC Power is supplied to the avionics by an Inverter. In the event of a failure of the operating
inverter, the pilot can select the other by using the 3-position switch on the right overhead panel.

Radio 1 and 2 power the two avionics busses. These busses are considered to be tied together as
a single bus in X-Plane.

Auto Pilot power is provided by this switch.

Radio Alt powers the radar altimeter, located below the pilot's vertical speed indicator.

The INOP switch is an extra switch for optional equipment that is not installed.
Ice Protection

The Turbo Commander is equipped with a capable known-icing ice protection system.

- L WSHLD and R WSHLD: Provides electrical power for the windshield heating elements.

- RUDDER: This turns on an electrical heating element for the rudder tab balance horn.

- ENG INLET (L and R): Turns on the electric heating elements for the engine inlets.

- PITOT FUEL VENT (L and R): Electrical heaters for the pitot tubes and fuel vents.

- GEN INLET: This turns on electrical heat for the generator's cooling air inlet. While this
functionality doesn't exist in X-Plane, the amperage can be viewed in the small ammeter to the
right of the switches, when the "PROP/GEN" switch is in the GEN position.

- PROP: This switch turns on the electrical propeller heating elements. As long as the switch
is in the ON position, the propeller heating elements will automatically heat each propeller on
a 30 second cycle. The left propeller is de-iced first, followed by the right.

- BOOTS: This controls the de-ice boots, located on the leading edges of the wings and
tail surfaces. The switch is spring-loaded to the middle off position. A single press to
the upper "ONE CY" position will automatically engage a single cycle of the boots,
which lasts approximately 15 seconds. The pilot can press the switch again to engage
another cycle as soon as it finishes, as needed.
The "MAN" position is not simulated, due to limitations in the way X-Plane
simulates the de-ice boots. In the real plane it would inflate the boots as long as the
switch is held, and then let the boots deflate when the switch is released.

Prop / Gen Inlet Ammeter

The small ammeter and "PROP / GEN" switch on the right side of the de-ice panel
is used to observe the amperage of the propeller de-ice elements, or the generator
cooling inlet de-ice elements, depending on the position of the switch.

Either system should draw approximately 14-18 amps while active.

Fuel System
The fuel system in the Turbo Commander 690B is very simple. It consists of 22 individual fuel
cells in the wings and fuselage that are interconnected to form a single tank.

The total capacity is 384 U.S. gallons, (about 2,573 pounds of Jet-A).

Fuel is supplied to each engine by a pair of engine-driven mechanical pumps, and a pair of
electrical auxiliary pumps which are controlled by the starter mode switches.

A fuel totalizer in the top center of the panel indicates total fuel burned. This can be reset by
pressing the lever below the digits.

The total fuel quantity is displayed in pounds on the copilot's side of the panel.

The Turbo Commander burns approximately 250 pounds per hour, per engine in cruise,
(depending on power setting and altitude). Flights can be planned at about 500 pounds
per hour.

With full tanks the plane has about 4 hours of fuel, plus a 1 hour reserve.
Starter System
The Starter Mode Switches control the fuel pumps and initiate the automatic starting sequence.
These are 4-position rotary knobs:

- ENG OFF: This turns off ignition, fuel pumps, and fuel to that engine. This position is used
to shut down the engine after a flight.

- FUEL PUMP ON: Turns on the fuel pump for that engine.

- AIR: This is used for airstarts. It does not engage the starter motor, as the windmilling propeller
is expected to rotate the engine. This position automatically sequences the igniters and fuel on
above 10% RPM, and turns off the igniters above 50% RPM.

- GND: This is the normal position for starting and running the engine. When the knob is
turned to GND the starter motor engages. Once the RPM is above 10% the igniters and fuel are
turned on. As the engine accelerates above 50% RPM, the starter and igniters are disengaged.

The IGN Switch controls the igniters. It has 3 positions:

- OVRD: This turns the igniters on all the time.

- NORM: This is the normal position for flight. The igniters automatically come on below 50%.

- MOTOR: In this position the igniters and starter fuel are disabled, allowing the pilot to
activate the starter to rotate and cool the engine, without allowing combustion.
HP Limiter
The engines on the 690B are equipped with horsepower limiters, which will decrease the
available fuel to the engines if they detect an over-torque situation. It is important to note
that the limiters will only limit torque; they will not limit the temperature of the engine,
so it is still the pilot's responsibility to ensure no limits are exceeded.

- TEST: This position is used to test whether the HP limiters are working. The test is conducted
on the ground by placing the engine speed levers to High, then increasing the power levers slightly
to achieve 100% RPM.

The HP LIMIT switch is then placed in the TEST position. A gradual drop in RPM and fuel flow
should occur. The pilot must be careful not to let the engine RPM drop below 67% during the test.

- ON: The limiters are turned on. This is the normal position for flight.

- OFF: The limiters are switched off. The pilot must be careful not to exceed the maximum
horse power of 717.5 shp (redline).
Startlocks
The Turbo Commander 690B's TPE-331 fixed-shaft turboprop engines are equipped with a
start lock system which mechanically maintains the propellers in a flat pitch (minimum drag)
position while the engines are off. This allows for easier engine starting, since the starter motor
must turn the entire engine assembly and propeller.

The start locks are centrifugally actuated to disengage, and spring actuated to engage.

To disengage the start locks after start, each power lever is briefly pulled into reverse while the
engine is above 60% RPM.

To engage the start locks during shutdown, each power lever is pulled back into reverse
while the engine is between 60% and 30% RPM. They are left in the reverse position until the
engine has slowed to less than 10% RPM.

The start locks must be disengaged before attempting to taxi or takeoff.

Autopilot

The autopilot consists of a mode selector panel, an altitude selector, and a pitch wheel.

Pressing one of the AP mode buttons will engage the flight director in that mode. To engage the
autopilot servos, the "ENG/DIS" switch must be turned on.

Modes:
- HDG: Heading hold. The autopilot will fly to the orange heading bug on the pilot's HSI.
- NAV: Navigation mode. The AP will fly to the course selected on the HSI, and the nav source
selected in Nav 1 (the GNS 530 unit, or the GTN 750 if installed).
- APPR: Approach mode. This works the same as NAV, but with increased sensitivity for an ILS,
and will automatically capture and follow a glideslope.
- ALT: Altitude hold. Pressing this will cause the autopilot to capture and hold the current altitude.
- IAS: Indicated Air Speed. The AP will hold the current airspeed. This can be adjusted by
moving the pitch wheel.
-B/C: This is the same as APPR, but with reversed sensing for flying a localizer back course.

Altitude Selector:
If the autopilot is in a pitch mode, it will automatically capture the altitude that is set in the altitude
selector window.

Pitch Wheel:
The pitch wheel can be used to adjust the pitch commanded by the autopilot, as well as
the airspeed if the autopilot is in IAS mode. Use the mouse scroll wheel to adjust the
pitch up and down.
Clicking will recenter the pitch wheel.