Garmin® Autoland Achieves EASA and FAA Certification on Daher TBM 940
This is the first EASA certification and second from the FAA for the award-winning Autoland system
Garmin International Inc today announced European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification of Autoland in the Daher TBM 940. The Garmin Autoland system is available as part of the G3000™ integrated flight deck and is capable of taking control and landing the aircraft without human intervention1 in the event the pilot is unable to fly.
“Garmin Autoland continues to gain the recognition and praise of many throughout the world; we are excited to announce yet another milestone – EASA certification of this progressive, forward-thinking technology,” said Phil Straub, executive vice president and managing director of aviation. “As we celebrate this significant achievement in aviation history, I would like to congratulate everyone at Daher, EASA, Garmin and the FAA who have come together and contributed to the development and certification of Autoland, a technology that will have lasting impacts on the safety of the aviation industry.”
In the event of an emergency, the pilot or passengers on board the aircraft can activate Autoland to land the aircraft with a simple press of a dedicated button. Autoland can also activate automatically if the system determines it’s necessary. Once activated, the system calculates a flight plan to the most suitable airport, while avoiding terrain and adverse weather, initiates an approach to the runway and automatically lands the aircraft – without pilot or passenger intervention.
Throughout an Autoland activation, the G3000 integrated flight deck provides passenger-centric visual and verbal communications in plain language so passengers in the aircraft know what to expect. The flight displays show the aircraft’s location on a map alongside information such as the destination airport, estimated time of arrival, distance to the destination airport and fuel remaining. Airspeed, altitude and aircraft heading are also labeled in an easy-to-understand format. Passengers also have the option to communicate with ATC by following simple instructions on the display using the touchscreen interface on the flight deck.
The Garmin Autothrottle system is used to automatically manage aircraft speed, engine performance and engine power so the aircraft can climb, descend or maintain altitude as needed during an Autoland activation. On approach to land, 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. When aligned with the runway, the landing gear and flaps are automatically extended and the aircraft continues its descent. On the runway, automatic braking is applied while tracking the runway centerline to bring the aircraft to a full stop. Engine shutdown is also automated so occupants can safely exit the aircraft.
At any time, a pilot can easily deactivate an Autoland activation. With a single press of the “AP” autopilot key on the autopilot controller or the autopilot disconnect button on the controls, an Autoland activation can be canceled. The flight display shows a message that confirms Autoland has been deactivated and in the event of an accidental deactivation, the system shows passengers how to reactivate Autoland if needed.
Garmin Autonomí™, a family of autonomous safety solutions, encompasses Autoland, Emergency Descent Mode (EDM) and Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP™). These technologies add to the safety enhancing tools and capabilities of a Garmin-equipped flight deck. For example, in the event an aircraft loses pressurization, EDM is capable of automatically descending the aircraft to a preset altitude without pilot intervention to help avert hypoxic situations.
For additional information regarding the Garmin Autonomí family of autonomously activated flight technologies, visit www.garmin.com/Autonomi.
