FAA certifies Autoland for the turboprop Epic E1000 AX — AeroTime

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified the Garmin Autoland system for the single-engine turboprop Epic E1000 AX aircraft. It can automatically land the aircraft if the pilot becomes incapacitated. Epic Aircraft, based in Bend, Oregon, announced the approval on September 30, 2026, AeroTime writes.

How the system works

Passengers can activate Autoland by pressing a dedicated button. The system can also activate independently if it determines that the pilot is unable to operate the aircraft.

After activation, Autoland selects a suitable airport and runway, taking into account distance, runway length, fuel reserves, terrain and weather conditions. The system then guides the aircraft to the airport, automatically transmits radio messages to air traffic controllers and informs passengers. It lands the aircraft, stops it and shuts down the engine without pilot involvement.

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Aircraft equipment

According to Epic, the E1000 AX is the only high-performance single-engine aircraft with Autoland activation buttons located in several places in the cabin. The system is integrated with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and works together with Garmin Autothrottle, which automatically controls engine power and protects against exceeding its limits, as well as overspeed and underspeed.

Epic unveiled the E1000 AX in April 2025 at the Sun ’n Fun exhibition, and the aircraft received its FAA type certificate in July 2025. The six-seat carbon-fiber turboprop aircraft is equipped with a 1,200-shaft-horsepower Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67A engine. The manufacturer states a maximum cruising speed of 333 knots, an operating altitude of up to 34,000 feet and a range of up to 1,560 nautical miles.