From the turboprop to the business jet
The first approval of Garmin Autoland was granted in May 2020 for the Piper M600 SLS.
Since then, Garmin has gradually expanded the system to include additional aircraft classes. Today, Autoland is available in the Piper M600 SLS and M700 Fury, various Cirrus Vision Jets, the Cirrus SR Series G7+, several Daher TBM models, King-Air versions, as well as the Pilatus PC-12 PRO and the Epic E1000 AX.
In 2026 alone, four more approvals were added: the HondaJet Elite II, the Embraer Phenom 300EV, the Pilatus PC-12 PRO, and the Epic E1000 AX.
The HondaJet Elite II and Phenom 300EV are particularly significant. With them, Autoland is now available for two-engine jet aircraft for the first time. This significantly expands the range of applications beyond traditional single-pilot turboprops.
Also for the first time in piston-engined aircraft
Cirrus made another important step in 2025 with the SR Series G7+.
The models SR20, SR22 and SR22T are equipped with the system developed by Garmin, which Cirrus markets under the name Safe Return.
In this way, Autoland was certified for the first time in a single-engine piston aircraft.
This is remarkable for general aviation because the technology is no longer exclusively reserved for million-dollar aircraft; it is increasingly reaching classic manned aviation as well.
The Cirrus SR Series G7+ also received the EASA approval at the end of 2025, making Safe Return available to European customers as well.
What happens after activation?
Autoland is designed for situations where the pilot is no longer able to perform their duties, for example due to a medical emergency.
A passenger can activate the system via a clearly marked button.
From this point on, the avionics essentially takes over the entire remainder of the flight.
The system first analyzes the current position, the available fuel amount, the weather, the terrain, and suitable airfields in range.
Next, it selects a suitable destination airport and calculates a route to get there.
This takes into account, among other things, terrain and unfavorable weather conditions.
Radio communication will also be automated.
Autoland is not limited to navigation and autopilot.
The system also handles communication with air traffic control.
After activation, it informs the ATC about the emergency situation and can automatically change the required frequencies during the further flight.
At the same time, passengers are informed via the cockpit displays and voice messages about what is happening right now, where the aircraft is flying and how long the flight is expected to take.
With this, Garmin addresses a crucial problem: In an emergency, a passenger who cannot fly would not be able to operate the radio, nor understand navigation or autopilot.
From the flight to the engine stop
At the destination airport, Autoland itself conducts a stabilized approach.
The system controls speed, altitude and flight path and, if necessary, also takes over the engine performance.
After takeoff, the aircraft stays on the runway, brakes to a stop, and then disengages the engine or engines.
The goal is that no pilot action is required from the passenger from the time of the pilot’s failure until the ground stop.
Autoland can activate itself
Depending on the aircraft, the system can be activated not only manually by a passenger, but also automatically.
Garmin combines Autoland with additional features from its Autonomí family.
If the avionics system does not receive a response from the pilot over a prolonged period of time, it first requests confirmation.
If this is not activated, an Emergency Descent Mode function can initially be activated depending on the aircraft.
This is relevant, for example, in the event of possible hypoxia at high altitude.
If the pilot still does not respond, Autoland can then take over and land the aircraft autonomously.
The selection of the target airport is complex
The system does not simply fly to the geographically closest airport.
When selecting suppliers, Autoland takes numerous factors into account.
These include, among others:
- Available fuel volume and range
- Length and orientation of the ski slope
- Current weather
- Wind
- Terrain and obstacles
- Available instrument approach procedures
- Performance of the respective aircraft
This means that a slightly farther away airport may be more suitable than the nearest one.
The entire decision process is automated.
Almost 250 aircraft were retrofitted
According to Garmin, of the now more than 2,500 Autoland aircraft, just under 250 were only equipped or activated accordingly after the original delivery.
This is particularly interesting for existing fleets.
For example, Garmin offers complete retrofit solutions for certain Beechcraft King Air 200, B200, 300 and 350 aircraft.
This allows even an aircraft model, the basic design of which is several decades old, to be equipped with a modern autonomous emergency landing system.
However, Autoland is not an easy software function. It requires a suitable avionics architecture, autopilot, navigation, sensors, and in many cases automatic engine control.
Three Garmin flight deck families support the system
Autoland is now integrated into several Garmin platforms.
These include:
Garmin G1000 NXi, G3000 and the new G3000 PRIME.
This allows Garmin to use the technology across very different aircraft classes.
The underlying autonomous architecture combines navigation, autopilot, flight monitoring, communication, and, in some cases, engine control into a single system.
Autoland is thus less a single avionics device than the result of deep integration of almost all essential on-board systems.
In 2027, more patterns will follow.
The number of available aircraft is expected to continue to increase.
For 2027, Garmin expects approvals for several new Textron models:
Cessna Citation M2 Gen3, Citation CJ3 Gen3 and Citation CJ4 Gen3.
The new Beechcraft Denali is also set to receive Autoland.
This will further spread the technology, especially in business aviation.
Importance for single-pilot flights
Autoland is particularly interesting for aircraft that are often operated by just one pilot.
A medical emergency involving the sole pilot is one of the rare but particularly critical scenarios.
In a two-pilot cockpit, the second pilot can take over. In a single-engine turboprop, a personal jet, or a piston-engined aircraft with only one pilot, there is no such redundancy.
Autoland is creating a technical level of safety for the first time here, which is also suitable for passengers without any flying experience.
The system does not replace the pilot; it instead specifically addresses their possible inability to take action.
No autonomous normal operating system
Despite its extensive capabilities, Autoland should not be confused with autonomous flight in normal operation.
The system is designed as an emergency function.
The pilot starts, flies, and continues to land on their own, or uses the normal autopilot.
Autoland only intervenes in an exceptional situation.
This clear demarcation was also important for the approval: the technology is not intended to replace a pilot, but to create an additional level of safety.
Conclusion
More than 2,500 equipped aircraft show that Garmin Autoland has now largely outgrown its status as a purely technological project.
Since its initial certification in 2020, the system has expanded from a single turboprop application to more than 15 aircraft models. Currently, the spectrum ranges from single-engine piston aircraft to turboprops and personal jets to twin-engine business jets.
Particularly relevant for general aviation is the increasing availability of aircraft that are typically flown by only one pilot.
Autoland can alleviate one of the most difficult imaginable situations: a flightworthy, technically intact aircraft with passengers on board, but without capable pilots.
With further approvals starting in 2027, the technology is likely to evolve from an exceptional premium feature into an established safety component of modern GA aircraft.
Source references:
Aerocourier
