Genesys Aerosystems is working with Enstrom Helicopter Corp to install and certify the latest generation Genesys helicopter autopilot in the Enstrom 480B. The three-axis VFR autopilot is scheduled for completion and availability for OEM factory fit and aftermarket retrofit by the end of 2024. Interested customers can have the autopilot installed by Enstrom or at select Genesys dealers.

"We pride ourselves in being customer-focused, so we are excited to work with Enstrom to offer the industry standard for helicopter autopilots to its customer base. This will provide significant improvements in aircraft safety, operational improvements and mission effectiveness," says director of sales and marketing Jamie Luster.

"I was able to test fly the prototype installation recently," says Enstrom CCO Dennis Martin. "We were highly impressed. It flew the helicopter very well and has advanced functionality. The 480B is already very stable, but the stability augmentation system takes it to a whole new level. What really stood out was the safety advantages it provides with features like auto-recovery and the ability to shoot fully coupled approaches. It's a game changer."

The Genesys helicopter autopilot is the next generation of patented, lightweight and affordable attitude-based autopilots. The workload-reducing autopilot incorporates modes such as heading, navigation, approach, vertical speed, indicated speed and altitude hold. Designed to be on all the time, the stability augmentation system will bring the helicopter back to a neutral attitude by easing the forces applied or simply letting go of the cyclic should the pilot become incapacitated, spatially disoriented or lose visual references. In addition, the system features over-speed and under-speed envelope protection, keeping pilots and occupants safely in the flight envelope while the autopilot is on.

Key features include:

- Automatic recovery to near-level flight attitude at all airspeeds

- Stability engagement throughout all phases of flight from startup to shutdown

- Autopilot pitch control - altitude hold, IAS hold, VS hold, GS

- Autopilot roll control - HDG hold, NAV, LOC, VOR

- Optional YAW control

- Over-speed and Under-speed protection.