Autoland Emergency Landing System Certified on TBM 940

Daher’s HomeSafe uses an iteration of Garmin’s Autoland system. Daher/Airborne Films

French aircraft maker Daher says new TBM 940s rolling off the assembly line in Tarbes, France, will now be equipped with the HomeSafe system, which allows the aircraft to automatically locate a suitable airport and conduct an instrument approach to a safe landing should the pilot become incapacitated. The new HomeSafe system—that simultaneously received both FAA and EASA certification last week—is an iteration of Garmin’s Autoland emergency landing system. The company says new 940s already delivered this year will be upgraded at TBM service centers. HomeSafe is also available as a retrofit to earlier 940 aircraft at a cost of $85,000.

Daher says, “The system is activated manually by an easily recognizable orange button atop the cockpit instrument panel, or semi-automatically if the Emergency Descent Mode has been engaged. The [HomeSafe] software integrates weather and terrain information to select the best airport for landing taking into account aircraft fuel range and runway length. During the landing rollout, HomeSafe will simultaneously activate the landing gear and brakes and shut down the engine.”

Rob MarkAuthor
Rob Mark is an award-winning journalist, business jet pilot, flight instructor, and blogger.

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