Garmin has announced imminent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification to bring Garmin Autoland and Garmin Autothrottle to the retrofit market, starting with select G1000® NXi-equipped King Air 200 series aircraft, and soon after, select King Air 300 series.
The certification marks the first time Garmin Autoland and Autothrottle have been offered as a retrofit solution, as well as the first certification with G1000 NXi. Full Autothrottle integration with the G1000 NXi reduces crew workload in the cockpit by managing aircraft speed and power and provides engine protection against potential engine exceedances. In the event of an emergency where the crew can no longer perform their duties, Garmin Autoland can control and land the aircraft without human intervention1.
“Bringing Garmin Autoland and Autothrottle to the Beechcraft King Air, and for the first time to the aftermarket, is a tremendous step toward transforming the general and business aviation fleet with safety-enhancing autonomous technologies. The G1000 King Air retrofit program was launched in 2007, initially on the King Air C90, with now over 800 G1000 retrofits in the King Air fleet. We are pleased to provide these operators an upgrade path to Autoland and Autothrottle, demonstrating our deep commitment to developing and continually supporting G1000 and our customers that have trusted us with this investment in their aircraft.” – Phil Straub, Garmin Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Aviation
Garmin Autothrottle
Garmin’s Autothrottle is fully integrated with the G1000 NXi system and provides automatic control of the engine power levers from takeoff to landing allowing for the proper power setting, negating the threat of a possible throttle rollback. Power settings are based on manufacturer or user-configurable climb, cruise and descent schedules, including ITT limits. Additionally, Garmin Autothrottle provides ITT and torque protection by reducing power when the system senses potential overtemperature or overtorque conditions.
Autothrottle will also activate automatically in the event of an aircraft overspeed or underspeed situation and takes into account flap and gear position, providing additional peace of mind for pilots operating the aircraft. If Autothrottle detects an engine failure, it automatically sets the power lever on the failed side to a fixed position and adjusts the operative throttle lever to maintain the selected airspeed reference.
Garmin Autoland
Autoland determines the most optimal airport and runway, considering factors such as weather, fuel on board, runway surface and length, terrain, obstacles and more. In the event of an emergency, passengers can activate Autoland by the press of a button, located in the back of the center pedestal for easy access. Autoland will activate automatically if the system determines it’s necessary.
Once activated, the system calculates a flight path to the most suitable airport, initiates an approach to the runway and automatically lands the aircraft. The system takes into consideration a breadth of information and criteria and will automatically communicate with air traffic control (ATC) throughout the entire event, advising controllers and pilots operating near the aircraft of its location and intentions.
Throughout an Autoland activation, the system provides simple visual and verbal communications in plain language, so passengers have the information and know what to expect. The flight displays show the aircraft’s location on a map alongside information such as the destination airport, estimated time enroute, distance to the destination airport and fuel remaining. Airspeed, altitude and aircraft heading are labeled in an easy-to-understand format and passengers also have the option to communicate with ATC by following instructions on the multi-function display.
During an Autoland activation, the Garmin Autothrottle system is used to automatically manage aircraft speed and engine power so the aircraft can climb, descend or maintain altitude as needed. If temperatures are conducive to ice accumulation, Autoland activates anti-ice and deice systems for the engines and control surfaces. On approach to landing, the system initiates a controlled descent to the airport. If the aircraft needs additional time to descend or slow down during the approach, the Autoland system initiates a standard holding procedure. Once Autoland configures the landing gear and flaps, the aircraft begins its descent to the runway and lands.
New G1000 NXi Features
With the latest G1000 NXi upgrades, King Air owners can take advantage of additional features. Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT™) has been upgraded to now include a 3D exocentric view of the SafeTaxi® airport environment to aid situational awareness while taxiing.
Additionally, Garmin’s recently announced PlaneSync™ connected aircraft management system2 will simplify the lives of King Air3 owners and operators by automating database updates, providing real-time remote aircraft status4 and automatically transmitting flight log and engine data to the cloud after landing5. The system also includes Emergency Descent Mode (EDM) as a standard feature that is enabled automatically in the event of a loss in aircraft pressurization.
Adding on to Garmin’s revolutionary electronic stability and protection (ESP™) technology, one engine inoperative ESP assists the pilot in maintaining control in the event of a single engine failure. ESP pitch and roll limits will adjust to prevent excessive pitch or bank angles while the pilot performs single engine procedures.
Garmin Autoland and Autothrottle are planned to be available in the third quarter of 2023 for retrofit installations through the approved Garmin Authorized Dealer network for King Air 200 G1000 NXi installations and in 2024 for the King Air 300 series.
To learn more about the G1000 NXi upgrade and Garmin Autothrottle, visit Garmin.com/KingAir. For additional information about Autoland and the Garmin Autonomí family of autonomous safety-enhancing technologies, visit www.garmin.com/Autonomi.
See Garmin.com/ALuse for Autoland system requirements and limitations.
- Active PlaneSync and database subscriptions required for automatic database updates. Active PlaneSync subscription plan required for flight log uploading. Features are available on-ground only and requires GDL 60 to have active LTE or Wi-Fi connectivity; signal strength and other factors may apply. See Garmin.com/PlaneSyncCoverage for LTE coverage details.
- Available for the King Air 200 series.
- Remote aircraft status requires active PlaneSync subscription. User’s smart device must have internet connectivity. Feature is available on-ground only and requires GDL 60 to have LTE connectivity; signal strength and other factors may apply. See Garmin.com/PlaneSyncCoverage for coverage details.
- PlaneSync engine and flight data logging capability will be available in 2024.