"An autopilot system took over a plane and pulled off an emergency landing completely autonomously. The nail-biting intervention took place after the twin engine turboprop, a Beechcraft Super King Air, suddenly lost cabin pressure while flying across Colorado on December 20. Garmin's Emergency Autoland system then took over, flew the plane, communicated with air traffic controllers, and made a fuss-free landing at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport near Denver."
"Various forms of autoland systems are routinely used to land aircraft in tough weather conditions where visibility is poor - but not during emergencies. Garmin's system, however, is part of an emerging line of autoland systems intended for emergency use only, and is designed to take "complete control of the flight to land the airplane" in situations "where the pilot is unable to fly," according to the manufacturer. That it managed to effortlessly handle a real-world emergency here is a milestone in aviation safety."
"In this case, Garmin's Autoland was automatically triggered because the "cabin altitude exceeded the prescribed safe levels" after the aircraft experienced "a rapid, uncommanded loss of pressurization," Chris Townsley, CEO of the plane's operator, Buffalo River Aviation, said in a statement. The pilots put on their oxygen masks, then "made the decision to leave the system engaged." Once at the reins, the autonomous system selected where to land on its own,"
Garmin Emergency Autoland autonomously took control of a Beechcraft Super King Air after a rapid, uncommanded loss of cabin pressurization over Colorado on December 20. The system automatically triggered when cabin altitude exceeded prescribed safe levels, and the pilots donned oxygen masks while electing to leave Autoland engaged. The autonomous system selected Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport based on distance and runway suitability, communicated with air traffic control, and performed an uneventful landing at roughly 2:20 pm local time. No passengers were onboard. The event represents the first complete, start-to-finish use of Autoland during a real-world emergency.
Read at Futurism
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