Black Hawk Demonstrates Automated Flight with Genesys Autopilot

Moog’s Verticon exhibit features a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk that demonstrated automated liftoff, hover, and en-route flight last October. Moog’s Genesys GRC 4000 four-axis rotorcraft autopilot, integrated into the helicopter’s Genesys avionics suite, has received FAA technical standard order authorization, Moog announced on March 9.

“This certification marks a significant step forward for rotorcraft operators,” said Moog Avionics director of business development Nick Bogner. “The GRC 4000 takes on high-complexity control tasks to reduce pilot workload, enabling pilots to focus on mission-critical objectives, improving safety, and ensuring success.”

Pilots can engage the automation modes with one button and use the autopilot’s stability augmentation and envelope protection features for protection against over- and underspeed conditions or to bring the helicopter to a near-level mode when needed, for example, during an inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions encounter.

The IFR-capable GRC 4000 also offers autopilot pitch control, glide slope, and altitude, airspeed, and vertical speed hold modes. Roll features include heading hold, and nav, localizer, and VOR guidance.

“The future of aviation is increased safety and aircraft performance through automation,” Bogner said.