It's a pretty slick system, first time with a form of autothrottle for a piston aircraft. Basically the same system as in SETPs. The link is to the Avweb 20+ minute flight. https://youtu.be/TrxhCK8rSl0

Very impressive. Getting up there in price. Typically equipped (for a Cirrus) 1.279 mil. But anything more capable has leap frogged inflation as well.

Sadly, it won't create the dramatic news stories that the chute does, which means its PR value is much less. Not sure its use will count in the "people saved" column like the chute claims.

It is an impressive piece of technology. Nothing about it is all that revolutionary, but the integration is well done. The nicest feature is that the plane might be usable afterward.

Mixture control was a nice touch.

Among safety things, it has a very high ratio of effort/cost/complexity to meaningful result, though. Pilot incapacitation, where a passenger initiates the system, will be VERY rare. I don't think a proper passenger chute deployment has happened yet after more than 10 million hours, which gives you a feel for how rare this will be. It won't move the safety needle very much because of that. It might be negative in the end if it emboldens pilots to go on riskier flights due to feeling more secure about having it.

Mike C.

To me the red button exists for the exact same reason as the red handle. It's a 'feel good' device for passengers. If it gets more people comfortable flying GA though, I'm all for it.

Pilots know these systems have extremely limited practical use and that you're 1,000 times more likely to die from a stall/spin, CFIT or just running out of gas. I guess it's just human nature to worry about the stuff you can't control.

C.

The chute is for when the plane breaks. The autoland button is for when the pilot breaks.

This is major.

Beyond total pilot incapacitation, I wonder if we will see it used when the pilot is lost and disoriented? Would a pilot be willing to admit defeat and push the button while there is still time to recover?

Very few folks can afford a $1.3 Million single-engine aircraft. However, my financial advisor is doing well and will likely "trade" in his SR-22 G5 and buy a SR-22 G7+. Heck, if you just double that and add a bit of change, you can get an SF-50 and go nearly twice as fast in pressurized comfort.

My guess is most on BT if handed a $1.3 million budget would spend it on a used airplane. But none of those will have autoland and a new airplane smell.

How much is a used Meridian with "mid-times" on everything? I suppose the age and times would decide what you get for $1.3M, but I would likely take that route.

I watched this video where CitationMax demos Autoland. My question is, once it lands, does it also hit the (wheel) brakes, or would it just go off the end of the runway? I doubt non-pilot passengers would know how to apply the pedal brakes.


Here's that video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmdzlMUZPk

It was mentioned in the video that brakes are automatically applied.

It was mentioned in the video that brakes are automatically applied.

It was mentioned in the video that brakes are automatically applied.[/quote]

I missed it the first time - but yep, at about 5 minutes into the video she said it retracts the flaps and applies the brakes.[/quote]

And, after stopping on the center line, it cautions passengers, "Wait for the airplane and propeller to come to a complete stop before exiting" as it cuts the mixture.

I can just see my kids in the back thinking it's a joke and hitting it. Probably better to prank with the button than pull the handle, so this is definitely a step forward.

My wife sure would appreciate it.