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 simplified helicopter flight for a fixed-wing pilot with minimal rotorcraft experience, demonstrating its ability to dramatically reduce pilot workload and make complex maneuvers more manageable.
The system incorporates advanced safety features such as Envelope Stability Protection (H-ESP) and the capability for flying coupled approaches, which are crucial for maintaining stability, preventing dangerous flight conditions, and improving safety, particularly in low visibility or emergencies.
Overall, the GFC 600H is presented as a transformative advancement in helicopter autoflight, making rotorcraft operations more approachable and enhancing safety by providing robust flight control assistance and stability.

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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.