Avionics Technology (2) The Red Button Garmin’s emergency autoland

BY FRED GEORGE [email protected]

ou’re the owner/operator of The scenario very well could end with FAA, makes all required radio calls to a single-engine turboprop. fatal consequences in most single-pilot advise ATC of the situation and uses You’ve launched from Colorado general aviation . Pilot inca- the EFIS screens and the aircraft in- Cockpit displays keep the passengers “in the loop” by showing where the aircraft is located, what divert field has been selected, how the Springs Municipal Airport pacitation is a nightmare no passenger tercom system to brief those aboard aircraft will be maneuvered and when it will arrive at the airport. boundY for San Jose, California, during wants to imagine, especially with only and keep them updated as to where monsoon season. The evening depar- one aviator up front. The history of and when the aircraft will land. And, if as people exit the aircraft. Emergency autoland is part of Piper’s use ends served by GPS LPV ture and climb-out are uneventful, but owner-flown single-pilot turbine air- the need arises, passengers can com- Mind you, autoland is no laboratory 2020 M600 Halo system, a standard or LNAV/VNAV approaches. Close to it starts to get bumpy as you enter the craft is peppered with dozens of fatal municate directly with ATC by follow- experiment. Garmin started to have bundle of advanced safety equipment 12,000 such procedures are available, cloud layers abeam Pikes Peak. Even accidents caused by pilot error, disori- ing simple instructions displayed on discussions about the feature in 2001. for the new model year that also in- but not all strips meet each though you’ve flown through plenty of entation or incapacitation. screen. The program officially was launched cludes stability and underspeed protec- aircraft manufacturer’s specific needs turbulence, tonight you aren’t comfort- This airplane, though, is equipped Emergency autoland can control the in 2010 and eventually more than 100 tion, emergency descent mode, pitch of minimum requirements for runway able. Your stomach is queasy. You’re with the latest Garmin G3000 NX avi- aircraft in all three axes, adjust the hardware and software engineers, plus and wings level mode and coupled go- surface, length and width, along with short of breath. And then you feel onics package. A guarded red button throttle, extend the landing gear and human factors experts and sales ex- around. Key to some of these features is weather observation broadcasting at the sharp little pangs in your chest. has been added to the flight deck lay- flaps as appropriate and guide the air- ecutives became involved. Flight tests the model’s new capability. landing facility. Keep this to yourself, you reason. out, within easy reach of the passen- craft to the touchdown zone. It will crab using a Cessna Corvalis 400 began in It first will have limited functionality Scheel says 7,000 ft. of pavement No need to alarm the family members gers. It very well could be called the “No into a crosswind and then transition 2014 and eventually 329 test for safety functions. Piper plans to offer would have been the minimum practical aboard. After all, they’re depending Panic Button.” When pushed by any- to wing down/top to align the were completed. Another 300 landings a full-function autothrottle by year-end. stopping distance for the M600 using no on you to get them back on the ground body — including the pilot — it activates aircraft with runway centerline. After were flown in various other aircraft. Garmin provides a basic functional- flaps. Such high minimums would have safely, because you’re the only pilot. an emergency autoland function. This landing, it uses differential braking to In early 2018, Piper and Garmin began ity template package to aircraft manu- been too restrictive, as there just aren’t A half hour into the flight, however, it is essentially a virtual, digital copilot stay on center and bring the aircraft to flight tests in a modified Piper M600 facturers, enabling them to customize that many airports with long runways becomes hard for you to focus on the in- that can take over control of the aircraft, a smooth stop. It even has an anti-skid single-engine turboprop to validate the autoland to best fit the needs of their and GPS approaches in the U.S. Using struments and maintain your mental plot. evaluate winds, weather and fuel re- function to modulate braking on slip- technology for pending FAA approval. customers, explained Scheel. The air- full flaps would have provided access The others notice and they’re worried. serves, then select a suitable divert field pery surfaces. It also can shut down the More than 170 landings now have been framers are given options for how the to 9,600 runways. But Piper chose to “Are you OK?” is the last thing you and fly the aircraft to the best runway at engine to prevent a prop strike injury completed. system should interact with flap actua- use takeoff/approach flaps as the best remember hearing from your spouse. the landing facility. By late 2019, Piper and Garmin ex- tors, anti-ice and other aircraft systems, compromise because of the possibility Your breathing is hard and shallow. The system also switches the tran- pected FAA certification of the system wheel brakes and steering. They can of operating in icing conditions caus- Your chest aches. You think you’re sponder to a special emergency auto- aboard the Piper M600. It’s slated to be also decide what kind of en route and ing ice accretion on the airframe. The about to pass out. land squawk code pre-assigned by the cut into production as standard equip- destination winds and weather criteria minimum landing distance thus became ment for 2020 models. Autoland is part should be used for choosing a suitable 4,500 ft., which still provides access to of Garmin’s newly branded Autonomí divert airport. In addition, the system more than 9,000 runways. Autoland ties package, which also includes emergency can assess weather reports to screen into the M600’s ice protection systems. descent mode and electronic stability out divert fields with hazardous meteo- If the OAT drops below the threshold for and protection. Expect similar emer- rological conditions. icing, they’re activated, even if the air- gency autoland capability announce- In the case of that hypothetical sin- craft is not flying through visible mois- ments from Cirrus by the end of this gle-engine turboprop flying from Col- ture. The entire autoland package adds year and Daher in mid-2020. orado Springs to San Jose, activation only 25 lb. to aircraft empty weight. of autoland overhead Central Colorado We departed KIXD to the southwest, Flight Demo of Piper’s Regional Airport (KAEJ) in Buena climbing to 4,500 ft. MSL. When we Vista, Colorado, might cause the sys- were about 15 mi. from the airport, Sar- Halo System tem instead to choose Grand Junction gent gave me the OK to lift the guard To see emergency autoland in ac- Regional (KGJT) as the divert field, and press the red button. tion, we belted into the right seat of about 115 nm away, to avoid storms over Smoothly, the and auto- The Red “No Panic” an M600 equipped with the system at the Rockies. It also uses its digital ter- throttle engaged. The aircraft headed Button. Press it Garmin’s New Century AirCenter Air- rain database to assure the aircraft for KIXD, the closest suitable airport and a virtual copilot port (KIXD), Olathe, Kansas, facility. stays safely above the rocks while it with sufficiently long and wide runways, takes control of the Eric Sargent, engineer and flight test maneuvers toward the divert field and plus GPS precision approaches. A direct airplane, evaluates pilot, flew the aircraft from the left seat. descends for approach and landing. Fur- route to New Century Airport was also winds, weather and Bailey Scheel, aviation systems engi- thermore, it would change the landing free of weather hazards. divert field choices, neer who leads the M600 development field elevation used by the pressuriza- The aircraft accelerated to 230 KIAS, then guides the program, and media relations special- tion system from 62 ft. for San Jose to 20 kt. shy of redline. Piper chose that aircraft to a safe, ist Jessica Koss accompanied us in the 4,861 ft. for KGJT. speed to get the aircraft on the ground

GARMIN (2) full-stop landing. main cabin. The first version of autoland can only expeditiously, in case the pilot needs

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immediate medical treatment. GARMIN Because this was a demo, emergency autoland did not switch the comm ra- dios to 121.5 MHz, wait for silence on frequency and then transmit the air- craft’s intentions. It also did not switch the transponder to an emergency code. Sargent instead informed New Cen- tury tower of our intention to fly the RNAV (GPS) Runway 36 approach in VFR conditions. Just after the aircraft started to turn back to the airport, all three EFIS screens and both touchscreen control panels switched from avionics mode to passenger advisory mode. “Emergency Autoland Has Been Ac- tivated” appeared on the MFD. “No Ac- tion Required” popped up on the bottom of the display. “Calculating ETA,” ad- vised the system. An animated graphic then appeared, highlighting the yokes and rudder pedals. “Keep Hands and Pressing the red “No Panic” button activates a simple audio-visual passenger briefing Feet Away from Aircraft Controls.” system, instructing them what to do, how to communiate with ATC, if needed, and where The PFDs transition to combined syn- they are being flown. thetic vision and moving map displays, keeping all of us well informed of the and precise to stop on the available our seat belts and how to open the aircraft’s progress en route to the divert pavement. In the end, the system landed cabin door. If we had let the system run airport. The top displayed “Landing in us as well as an accomplished M600 hu- through all its functions, it would also 9 minutes” while the bottom showed man pilot. have shut down the engine. “En route to New Century Aircenter It also has to use differential braking Sargent commented that emergency — Olathe, KS.” The screen showed that for steering and stopping, accounting autoland also can automatically activate we were headed to the approach end of for undulations in the surface and run- in extreme circumstances. Following Runway 36. way contamination. Aboard the M600, an emergency descent, for instance, the As we neared the airport, the air- dual autothrottle servos actuate a hid- G3000 will prompt pilots for responses craft was too high and fast to commence den set of brake master cylinders to to assure they’re conscious. If they re- the RNAV approach. It automatically modulate brake pressure while moni- spond, the system remains unarmed. slowed to 140 KIAS, followed the hold- toring wheel speed deceleration to avoid But if they don’t respond, emergency ing pattern depicted in lieu of proce- skidding on slippery surfaces. autoland would activate. dure turn and descended to 3,100 ft. as After touchdown, animations on the At any time, emergency autoland can required by the approach procedure. MFD advised us of how to unbuckle be disarmed by pressing the disconnect

When level, it automatically extended GARMIN the landing gear and flaps to takeoff/ approach. Aligned with the final approach course inbound, it slowed to 105 KIAS and started down on the glidepath. The MFD screen alternated between a mov- ing map with time and distance-to-go advisories and various passenger ad- visory messages, including how to use the comm radio, check seat belts and shoulder harnesses fastened, stow loose items in seat-back pockets and wait for the aircraft to stop before exiting. Sargent commented that the hard- est part of refining autoland was the flare phase in the last 5 to 10 ft. above the pavement. The aircraft has to make crosswind corrections, respond to gusts, adjust to runway undulations, slowly retard the throttle to idle and steer to maintain center runway align- The Piper M600 is slated to be the first aircraft to feature emergency Autoland. It was ment. Touchdown must be both smooth tested at several airports, including Port Angeles in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

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button on the yoke. Sargent says that GARMIN anyone aboard the aircraft can inter- vene. A pilot who regains consciousness, for instance, might take over from the system as the aircraft nears the auto- land divert destination. A passenger with limited flying experience could dis- connect the system after landing and taxi the aircraft clear of the runway. Piper says the entire Halo system, in- cluding extra cost equipment now made standard, has a $170,000 market value. Interior upgrades and a five-year tip- to-tail warranty add another $130,000 of value. But the retail price increase is being held to 2%. Emergency Autoland can be disconnected at any time, enabling a qualified pilot to taxi Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet clear of the runway to the ramp for a normal shut-down and occupant egress. Slated for certification this year and for 900 series aircraft. But he’s taking a we’ll offer it when we have a finalized 2020 deliveries, Cirrus brands its sys- go-slow approach because of the com- product.” tem “safe return autoland,” according plexities of implementing it on an air- to Matthew Bergwall, director of the Vi- craft that cruises as fast as 330 KTAS Other OEM Applications sion Jet product line. and as far as 1,500 nm. At FL 310, for “It’s part of a total safety solution instance, there may be dozens of can- Industry observers tell BCA that emer- that also includes Cirrus Aircraft Para- didate divert fields because of the air- gency autoland will become a compel- chute System [CAPS],” says Bergwall. craft’s high-altitude fuel efficiency. ling sales advantage in the single-pilot “In case autoland is not available, the The number diminishes considerably turbine business aircraft market, as G3000 screens will provide instructions at low altitude because of increased fuel well as in the single-engine turbine seg- as to how to activate CAPS. We book- consumption and lower cruise speeds. ment. Aircraft equipped with G1000 end all the risk scenarios you could have Those factors need to be incorporated systems don’t have the capability to in flight.” For instance, CAPS is avail- into such a system for the TBM. support the function. Thus, airframers able as an escape from loss of control Daher is also exploring an automatic that currently equip their aircraft with inflight (LOCI). ditching capability for the system G1000 avionics packages must consider Similar to the M600 autoland system, for extended overwater flights dur- upgrading to the G3000. the Vision Jet’s safe return autoland will ing which no suitable divert field is Garmin is the only avionics manu- tie into the autopilot, autothrottle, pres- available. facturer to offer emergency autoland at surization, landing gear and flap, plus The current system requires a GPS present. Some believe the firm has in- wheel brake systems. Runways must approach with vertical guidance to the vested as much as $20 million, or more, be served by a GPS approach capable runway end of the divert field. And only in the technology. One can only specu- of vertical guidance. The system will paved runways are in the airport da- late whether any competitors are will- be programmed to fly 160 to 180 KIAS tabase. Chabbert believes those limi- ing to make such a sizable investment to the initial approach fix, 140 KIAS tations may be too restrictive. Thus, to develop the capability. during maneuvering with the final ap- Daher wants to evaluate the potential Reflecting on Chabbert’s comment proach course inbound and 100 KIAS use of shorter, unpaved strips without about passengers being autoland’s on final approach. Bergwall says the precision GPS approaches. target audience, if one is considering top mount location of the FJ33 turbofan Chabbert believes the G3000 needs purchasing one of two closely matched and low idle thrust eliminate the need to more computing power and more mem- aircraft, but one features Garmin’s shut down the engine after the aircraft ory “for the dynamic environment in G3000 with emergency autoland and comes to a stop on the runway. which our aircraft operates.” He’s also the other does not have that capability, As with the M600, autoland will concerned that while the FAA may ap- the buyer’s spouse, family and friends, configure the aircraft with takeoff/ap- prove the system, the European Avia- company leaders, board members and proach flaps for landing. To account for tion Safety Agency may impose stricter other stakeholders may sway the pur- degraded stopping on contaminated certification requirements. Politics, as chase decision. runways, Cirrus uses a 5,836-ft. mini- well as science, must be considered. As In the near future, the “No Panic mum landing runway length. Incremen- an example, he believes that the high Button” autoland system could become tal empty weight gain of safe return traffic density within Berlin, Paris and perceived as minimum required safety autoland should be close to 25 lb. London airspace may cause EASA to equipment, along with oxygen masks, outlaw using major air carrier airports seat belts, fire extinguishers and emer- Daher TBM as autoland divert fields. “EASA cer- gency exits. Garmin isn’t just creating tification may be a challenge,” he said. a breakthrough avionics technology. Nicolas Chabbert, Daher’s senior vice Chabbert adds “Our target audience It’s changing customer expectations president, says emergency autoland is not the pilot. It’s the passengers. for minimum equipment lists on single- definitely will be offered on its TBM We’re totally committed to safety and pilot aircraft. BCA

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