Stans, Switzerland

Pilatus PC-12 PRO Safety Autoland certified

Pilatus has announced certification of its Safety Autoland system for the new PC-12 PRO by both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Integrated into the aircraft’s Garmin G3000 PRIME flight deck, Safety Autoland is designed to handle situations involving sudden pilot incapacitation - due to a medical emergency, for example.

When the activation button is pressed or when a pilot inactivity is detected, the system takes full control of the aircraft, informing all occupants that the automated landing mode has been activated. Simultaneously, it begins analyzing all available information, including weather, aircraft status and navigation data.

Based on this information, the system determines the best choice of airport, taking into account factors such as runway length, wind, weather conditions and remaining fuel. It then calculates a safe route, avoiding obstacles and terrain.

During autonomous flight, Safety Autoland takes care of all the systems required for landing - including flaps, landing gear, lighting and de-icing - and fully prepares the aircraft for the final approach. It also handles all radio communications, automatically making calls on the appropriate frequencies to keep ATC and persons on the ground informed about the situation.

Safety Autoland underwent extensive testing during the PC-12 PRO’s final certification programme, including demonstrations of fully automated landings in operational conditions.

The aircraft is powered by the latest version of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine - which boasts over 60,000 units in service and more than 400 million hours in the air - and is compatible with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blends.