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:

Garmin's GFC 600H autopilot significantly simplifies helicopter flight, allowing even pilots with minimal rotorcraft experience to control the AS350 B2 and perform tasks like cross-country navigation, approaches, and assisted hovering.
The system includes advanced safety features such as Envelope Stability Protection (H-ESP) for attitude and speed limits, and the capability to fly coupled approaches, which are critical for maintaining situational awareness and accident prevention, especially in challenging conditions.
It dramatically reduces pilot workload by automating flight stabilization, freeing pilots to focus on other tasks and making helicopter operations safer and more approachable for a wider range of pilots.

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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.