Garmin’s GFC 500 and 600 autopilots will soon add new installation approvals, bringing the STCs for the system to 10 popular airplane models. The latest to be added will be the Beechcraft Bonanza/Debonair (C33, E33, F33, G33), Cessna 210, and Grumman AA-5 series for the GFC 500, and the Beechcraft Baron (58P, 58TC) and Cessna 208B Caravan for the GFC 600.
The GFC 500 and 600 can be installed as a standalone autopilot or integrated with Garmin G500/G600 TXi and G500/G600 displays and Garmin navigators, as well as other third-party displays, instruments, and navigation sources.
Key features of the GFC autopilots include Garmin’s Electronic Stability and Protection, underspeed and overspeed protection, level mode, and flight director. These are added to “traditional autopilot capabilities,” according to Garmin, “such as altitude hold, vertical speed, and heading modes, as well as the capability to fly fully coupled GPS, ILS, VOR, LOC, and back-course approaches.” The autopilots can also fly indicated airspeed climbs/descents, and offer control wheel steering and built-in roll steering.
Garmin has also added new features to the GFC 500 and 600, including a Vnav softkey for flying fully coupled Vnav profiles, although the autopilot must be paired to the GTN 650/750 navigators and the G5, G500/G600 TXi, or G500/G600 displays. Pilots can set altitude constraints for a vertical descent profile and use automatically populated step-down altitudes.
The GFC 500 starts at $6,995 for a two-axis system and the GFC 600 $19,995 (with electric trim).