Daher’s HomeSafe emergency autoland system has been certified on the TBM 940. The emergency autoland system automatically brings an aircraft to a runway touchdown if the pilot becomes incapacitated.
HomeSafe received its approval from both the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) and FAA.
Certification clears the way for new deliveries of TBM 940s that are factory-equipped with the emergency autoland system. For TBM 940s already delivered in 2020, the aircraft will be upgraded at TBM service centers. Additionally, the system will be available for retrofit on all earlier production TBM 940 aircraft at an introductory price of $85,000, company officials said.
HomeSafe is based on Garmin’s Emergency Autoland system — available as a part of the G3000 integrated flight deck — and has been under development for the TBM since 2017 by the airplane systems department at Daher’s Aircraft Division. This work included software implementation and a flight test campaign that included 200 automated landings, Daher officials noted.
The system is activated manually by an orange button atop the cockpit instrument panel, or semi-automatically if the Emergency Descent Mode (EDM) has been engaged. Its software integrates weather and terrain information to select the best airport for landing, taking into account fuel range and runway length.
When HomeSafe is activated, occupants of the aircraft are briefed by a safety video on the cockpit’s multifunction display. Air traffic control is informed of the situation by an automated message, and the transponder is automatically set to the emergency squawk code. The system provides inputs to the aircraft’s flight controls and adjusts engine power settings through the touchdown phase. During the landing rollout, HomeSafe will simultaneously activate the landing gear brakes and shut down the engine.
The pilot can override the autoland function at any time to resume normal flight conditions by disconnecting the autopilot.
HomeSafe operates with systems already integrated on the TBM 940, such as the autopilot and autothrottle, as well as functions of Daher’s TBM e-Copilot: Enhanced Stability and Protection (ESP), the Emergency Descent Mode, and automated de-icing detection. Inputs from the radar altimeter also are included, Daher officials said.
Additional equipment incorporated on the TBM 940 for system with HomeSafe includes electrical relays to enable automatic activation of the flaps, landing gear and landing lights. An emergency automatic braking system — activated by a Garmin servo control — complements the standard braking system, with an increased-capacity hydraulic fluid tank. A fuel shut-off valve also has been added to stop the engine by cutting off the fuel supply.