Cirrus SR Series G7+ Featuring Safe Return Emergency Autoland

Cirrus recently announced the new SR Series G7+ featuring Safe Return Emergency Autoland by Garmin, the world’s first FAA-approved autonomous emergency landing system in a single-engine piston aircraft. With the integration of this technology, anyone in the cabin can activate Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland with the touch of a button in the event of an emergency, commanding the aircraft to navigate to a suitable nearby airport and land autonomously.

The SR Series G7+ introduces more new features, including Automatic Database Updates enabled by Cirrus IQ PRO™ for pilot convenience, Runway Occupancy Awareness for safety and Smart Pitot Heat powered by the Perspective Touch+™ flight deck for reduced pilot workload. Together, these features combined with Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland and the company’s signature Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®), bring to market the SR Series G7+, a robust aircraft embedded with advanced technology, automation and safety innovations.

“We’re excited to introduce the SR Series G7+, the aircraft that anyone can land in the event of an emergency with the touch of a single button,” said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus. “As the largest personal aircraft manufacturer in the world, delivering approximately 600 SR Series aircraft per year, the addition of Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland on a single-engine piston aircraft brings technology previously only available on larger turbine and turboprop aircraft to a greater number of pilots, spouses and their passengers for added peace of mind. The SR Series G7+ launch, along with our expanding ecosystem and Cirrus IQ™ platform, underscores our commitment to safety and relentless pursuit of innovation.”

Cirrus has consistently been at the forefront of industry safety innovations, introducing features like the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®) and the Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland as standard equipment. Since 1999, with the production of over 10,000 SR Series aircraft and the accumulation of 17 million flight hours, Cirrus continues to advance the aviation industry by developing solutions that enhance safety and accessibility in flying.

The Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland system employs a combination of advanced sensors, sophisticated algorithms, and automated flight control systems to autonomously land an aircraft without pilot intervention. By pressing a single button, the system assumes control of the aircraft, communicates with air traffic control, navigates to the nearest appropriate airport while avoiding terrain and adverse weather, autonomously lands the aircraft, brings it to a complete stop, shuts down the engine, and halts the propeller, ensuring passengers can exit the aircraft safely.

Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland Activation:

• Effortless Activation: In emergencies, the pilot or passengers can activate the system with a simple button press, centrally located in the aircraft cabin ceiling, to initiate the Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland.

• Advanced Algorithms: The system utilises sophisticated onboard sensors and algorithms to adapt to changing conditions, navigate through airspace, calculate runway parameters, and detect real-time weather and terrain.

• Fully Automated Flight Control: Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland autonomously manages the autopilot and engine to fly the aircraft and execute a safe landing sequence.

• Air Traffic Control: The system maintains continuous communication with air traffic control throughout the flight and automatically switches frequencies as the aircraft approaches the most suitable airport.

• Passenger Experience: Passengers receive clear information on flight displays, including airport destination, arrival time, and remaining fuel. Next steps are communicated via headsets, and passengers can use the “Talk” button on the flight display to directly communicate with air traffic control.

Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland can be activated both manually and automatically. Anyone in the cabin can activate Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland at the press of a button. If a pilot is alone or those in the cabin are unable to activate it manually, Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland is designed to activate automatically if the system determines that the pilot is flying erratically or is unresponsive. Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland can be disconnected by pressing the autopilot disconnect button at any time the pilot decides.

With the introduction of the SR Series G7+, Automatic Database Updates, facilitated by Cirrus IQ PRO™, are now accessible through a subscription within the Cirrus IQ™ app for owners of connected aircraft. This feature enables aircraft owners to receive automatic updates to their avionics databases via Wi-Fi or LTE, ensuring the most up-to-date and precise navigation data. These updates can be executed while the aircraft is powered down and the owner is not present. Upon powering up the aircraft, critical databases are seamlessly synchronised across compatible avionics systems.

Runway Occupancy Awareness utilises ADS-B traffic data to forecast and notify pilots of potential runway incursions involving nearby airborne aircraft or other aircraft on or approaching the runway. It provides visual and aural alerts on the pilot’s primary flight display and 3D SafeTaxi™ map, enhancing situational awareness. This safety feature is particularly beneficial at busy airports.

Smart Pitot Heat is activated through systems integration with Perspective Touch+™, aimed at reducing pilot workload and automating the flight experience. The system conducts a self-test before each flight and automatically adjusts its operation during flight based on external air temperatures, thereby eliminating the need for manual management.

Cirrus has a longstanding tradition of transforming aviation safety and remains dedicated to its mission of ongoing innovation. The company seeks to eliminate entry barriers and encourage more individuals to experience Personal Aviation™ with safety and peace of mind as integral components of every aircraft. By enhancing avionics systems and exploring autonomous flight, Cirrus is committed to producing aircraft that address current needs while anticipating future challenges.

By incorporating the Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland system into the SR Series G7+, Cirrus enhances the safety of pilots and passengers by providing an autonomous response capability in the event of an in-flight emergency, thereby offering greater peace of mind during travel.