Garmin has received FAA supplemental type certification (STC) for the GFC 600 autopilot in 200-series Beechcraft King Airs, the company said today. The GFC 600 provides owners of King Air 200, 200C, A200, A200CT, B200, B200C, and B200GT turboprop twins with a digital autopilot upgrade that features capabilities such as altitude preselect, VNAV1, level mode, underspeed and overspeed protection, and select/couple/fly instrument approaches.
Another standard feature of the GFC 600 is the Garmin Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP) system, which works to assist the pilot in maintaining the aircraft in a stable flight condition. ESP functions independently of the autopilot and works in the background to help pilots avoid inadvertent flight attitudes or bank angles and can help provide airspeed protection when they are hand-flying the aircraft.
The standard 6.25-inch mode controller allows for “routine installation” into the aircraft’s avionics stack, according to Garmin. In King Air 200s, the GFC 600 will require a G600 TXi or G600 flight display. Flight director command bars can also be shown on the G600/TXi flight display. In addition, the GFC 600’s hardened autopilot servos reduce maintenance requirements and offer more torque to help better command and respond to control demands required of turbine aircraft.
GFC 600 installations for King Air 200s are available at select Garmin-authorized dealers.