General aviation
Garmin Autoland System Surpasses Milestone With Over Two Thousand Five Hundred Equipped Aircraft
Garmin announced that its emergency landing technology is now active in more than 2,500 airframes globally.
Garmin revealed that its Autoland technology has reached a milestone of more than 2,500 equipped airframes. The milestone comes slightly more than six years following the initial certification of the emergency system.
The technology first achieved certification in May 2020 aboard the Piper M600 SLS. Since then, the platform has expanded across more than 15 distinct aircraft models, encompassing single-engine pistons, turboprops, and business jets.
During the year 2026, the system gained approvals on four additional models. These new additions included the HondaJet Elite II, Embraer Phenom 300EV, Pilatus PC-12 PRO, and Epic E1000 AX. The HondaJet and Phenom certifications brought the technology into the twin-engine jet segment for the first time. Furthermore, certifications are anticipated in 2027 for Textron Aviation models including the Cessna Citation M2 Gen3, Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen3, Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3, and the Beechcraft Denali.
Intended for critical scenarios such as pilot incapacitation, the system can be initiated by a passenger via a dedicated button. It can also trigger automatically if the platform senses an absence of pilot interaction. Once running, the software determines a path to a suitable airfield while avoiding weather and terrain, executes a stabilized approach, and performs a landing without human intervention. The system also communicates directly with air traffic control throughout the emergency procedure.
Implementation spans several integrated flight decks, such as the G1000 NXi, G3000, and G3000 PRIME. Garmin noted that nearly 250 of the total equipped fleet received the system through post-delivery retrofits. This includes retrofitting options for eligible Beechcraft King Air airframes, a design manufactured for over half a century.
Phil Straub, Garmin executive vice president and managing director of aviation, stated that passing this threshold demonstrates widespread acceptance of a product built to offer reassurance to occupants during critical moments. The technology has previously been honored with the Robert J. Collier Trophy alongside other industry accolades.
PlaneFile lists 9 Epic Aircraft E1000 aircraft for sale.