Auto Flight for Rotorcraft

Garmin's new autopilot for the AStar smoothes out the rough edges.

Julie Boatman

Wednesday, July 05, 2023 at 04:11 PM ET

Verified

Flying the AS350 with the GFC 600H over the Oregon countryside. [Credit: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

The Garmin GFC 600H autopilot significantly simplifies helicopter flying, enabling even fixed-wing pilots with minimal rotorcraft experience to effectively control an AS350 during various flight phases like cross-country and hovering.
The system greatly enhances safety by reducing pilot workload and incorporating advanced features such as Envelope Stability Protection (H-ESP) for attitude and speed limits, and the ability to fly coupled approaches for improved situational awareness in challenging conditions.
By providing stability and ease of control comparable to fixed-wing aircraft, the GFC 600H makes rotorcraft operation more approachable, potentially lowering barriers to entry for helicopter ratings while still emphasizing the importance of manual flying proficiency.

See a mistake? Contact us.

As we’re walking out to the 1996 Eurocopter AS350 B2 perched on the pad outside Garmin AT’s offices in Salem, Oregon, I naturally head for the right seat. Because to my fixed-wing pilot brain, that’s where the observer sits, the copilot. And as one with only a handful of hours in rotorcraft in total, that’s what I guess I had expected to do on this demo flight—my introduction to Garmin’s GFC 600H for the AStar.

So when Garmin flight test engineer—and experienced rotorcraft instructor—Jack Loflin gestures me into the right seat, I don’t hesitate. Then I do.