If you’ve ever been in a light aircraft with a single pilot you’ll appreciate this technology. Flying in a single-engine aeroplane is a lot of fun but what happens if the pilot takes a turn? Could you step up and take over in an emergency? Well there’s no need to worry any longer if you’re in the latest Cirrus SR Series G7. It has the world’s first FAA-approved autonomous emergency landing system in a single-engine piston aircraft.
Autoland technology has been around for many decades in larger aircraft but Emergency Autoland by Garmin is something different. It gives the passenger a chance to intervene if the pilot is no longer capable of flying the plane.
“We’re excited to introduce the SR Series G7+, the aircraft that anyone can land in the event of an emergency with the touch of a single button,” said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus.
“As the largest personal aircraft manufacturer in the world, delivering approximately 600 SR Series aircraft per year, the addition of Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland on a single-engine piston aircraft brings technology previously only available on larger turbine and turboprop aircraft to a greater number of pilots, spouses and their passengers for added peace of mind. The SR Series G7+ launch, along with our expanding ecosystem and Cirrus IQ™ platform, underscores our commitment to safety and relentless pursuit of innovation.”
The Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland system uses a combination of advanced sensors, sophisticated algorithms and automated flight control systems to enable the aircraft to autonomously land safely without pilot input. After the activation button is pressed, the system takes control of the aircraft, communicates with air traffic control then navigates to the nearest suitable airport while avoiding terrain and adverse weather. It completes the task by autonomously landing the aircraft, bringing it to a complete stop, shutting down the engine and stopping the propeller so that passengers can safely exit the aircraft.
This technology is gaining ground fast. Only the other day I was listening to a HondaJet testing Emergency Autoland by Garmin on YouTube. I’ve embedded the Captain Steeeve video above. He’s worth a follow by the way.
We are entering a new phase of in-built safety for general aviation. Parachute systems are already saving lives by offering crippled aircraft a gentle return to earth. Combine that with Emergency Autoland and you have powerful options for pilots and passengers to avoid injury or death. In many cases the aircraft is saved as well.
