Bell Helicopter has announced a new autopilot kit designed specifically to integrate with the Garmin G1000H avionics suite in the Bell 407GX.
The option is currently available as a kit for the Bell 407GX in the U.S. and Canadian markets directly through Bell Helicopter and has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) for VFR (visual flight rule) operations. It features two-axis functionality with cyclic force trim and a Stability and Command Augmentation System (SCAS) available at all speeds with altitude and heading preselects. It can also be commanded to maintain either heading and altitude or navigation course and altitude. Additionally, a Go-Around mode can be activated by a single switch to provide automatic attitude leveling and transition to climb.
“The autopilot option is a logical extension of the fully-integrated glass cockpit offered in the Bell 407GX,” said Danny Maldonado, Bell Helicopter’s executive vice president of commercial sales and marketing. “We wanted to provide a product that is not only compatible with the Garmin system, but also make sure that operators could easily integrate and continue to get the best safety, performance and reliability out of their aircraft.”
The autopilot system, which is derived from the Bell 429 digital automatic flight control system, integrates with the Garmin G-1000H’s navigation modes and display and also integrates audio for caution alerts and mode annunciations. It is also compatible with a night vision imaging system (NVIS) and automatically disengages during heavy turbulence or extreme flight altitudes.
