Cirrus has officially announced the launch of a new SR Series G7+, which arrives on the scene bearing Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland technology by Garmin®, the world’s first FAA-approved autonomous emergency landing system in a single-engine piston aircraft.
According to certain reports, by integrating Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland, Cirrus has made it possible for anyone in the cabin to take aircraft’s control and navigate it a suitable nearby airport and land autonomously.
More on the given technology would reveal how it uses a combination of advanced sensors, sophisticated algorithms, and automated flight control systems to let the aircraft autonomously land safely without pilot input. You see, once activated, system can take control of the aircraft, communicate with air traffic control, navigate to the nearest suitable airport while avoiding terrain and adverse weather, autonomously land the aircraft bringing it to a complete stop, shut down the engine, and eventually stop the propeller so that passengers can exit the aircraft safely.
Series G7+, on its part, brings forth an expanded assortment of new features, including Automatic Database Updates enabled by Cirrus IQ PRO™ for pilot convenience, Runway Occupancy Awareness for safety, and Smart Pitot Heat powered by the Perspective Touch+™ flight deck for reduced pilot workload.
When packaged into one unified offering, these features can seamlessly make up a a robust aircraft embedded with advanced technology, automation, and safety innovations.
“We’re excited to introduce the SR Series G7+, the aircraft that anyone can land in the event of an emergency with the touch of a single button,” said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus. “As the largest personal aircraft manufacturer in the world, delivering approximately 600 SR Series aircraft per year, the addition of Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland on a single-engine piston aircraft brings technology previously only available on larger turbine and turboprop aircraft to a greater number of pilots, spouses and their passengers for added peace of mind.”
Talk about Garmin’s Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland on a slightly deeper level, we begin from the promise of straightforward activation. This translates to how, if an emergency strikes, the pilot or passengers can activate the system with a simple push of a button, which is centrally positioned in the aircraft’s cabin ceiling.
Next up, we must delve deeper into its advanced algorithms. These algorithms effectively adapt to changing conditions and enable navigation through the airspace, calculate runway parameters, and detect real-time weather and terrain.
Boasting a fully automated flight control system, the technology in question also continuously communicates with air traffic control during the flight and automatically switches to different frequencies as the aircraft travels to the most suitable airport.
Another detail worth a mention is rooted in the potential for an enhanced passenger experience. We get to say so because passengers are kept informed with straightforward information on the flight displays, including airport destination, arrival time, and remaining fuel. Not just that, next steps are also clearly communicated over headsets.
In essence, passengers can press the “Talk” button on the flight display to speak directly to air traffic control.
Expanding upon SR Series G7+ features, we begin from Automatic Database Updates that allow owners to receive automatic avionics database updates via Wi-Fi or LTE, ensuring the most current and accurate data for navigation. These updates can markedly occur while the aircraft is powered off and the owner is away from the aircraft.
Once the aircraft is powered up, essential databases are automatically synchronized across compatible avionics.
Next up, we have a Runway Occupancy Awareness facility. This one banks upon ADS-B traffic data to predict and alert pilots of potential runway incursions from nearby airborne aircraft or other aircraft on or approaching the runway. Alongside that, visual and aural alerts are also provided on the pilot’s primary flight display and 3D SafeTaxi™ map to maximize situational awareness.
Beyond this, we ought to touch upon the Smart Pitot Heat feature, which is enabled by systems integration through Perspective Touch+™ to reduce pilot workload and automate the flying experience. The system is programmed to perform a self-test before every flight and automatically turns on or off in flight depending on outside air temperatures.
