European operators of some Beechcraft King Air 200s can now have their aircraft equipped with Garmin’s autoland and autothrottle systems.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has certificated those systems for aftermarket installation on King Air 200s equipped with Garmin’s G1000 NXi avionics, Garmin said on 4 March.
The approval marks continued success by Garmin in expanding the market for the automated systems, which it has rolled out for several single- and twin-engined small aircraft in recent years.
“This certification marks the first time Garmin autoland and autothrottle have been offered to European owners and operators as a retrofit solution,” Garmin says.
The autothrottle system can fully control throttle levers throughout flights, including during take-offs and landings. The system can also “activate automatically” if an aircraft is flying too fast or too slow, while accounting for flap settings and gear position.
Autothrottle “reduces crew workload in the cockpit by managing aircraft speed and power, and provides engine protection against potential engine excedances”, says Garmin.
The company’s autoland system has made waves in recent years. It can fully control and land an aircraft in the event that a pilot becomes incapacitated. Activated by a button in the cockpit, the technology identifies a suitable airport, “initiates an approach to the runway and automatically lands”.
It also “provides simple visual and verbal communications in plain language, so passengers have the information and know what to expect”.
Garmin has already been delivering autoland-retrofitted King Air 200s in the USA. The system is now available on other types including Piper M600s, Cessna Citations, Cirrus Vision Jets, Daher TBMs and Honda Aircraft HA-420 HondaJets. It is also fitted on Beechcraft’s single-turboprop Denali, which that manufacturer aims to have certificated in 2026, and Garmin aims to make it available for King Air 300s.
