Epic Aircraft has received certification from the FAA for Garmin Autoland on the E1000 AX, marking a significant safety milestone for the single-engine turboprop. First announced at Sun 'n Fun in April 2025 alongside Garmin Autothrottle, Epic Aircraft has completed the rigorous FAA certification process and is cleared for installation on the E1000 AX aircraft.

“Only the E1000 AX offers multiple Autoland button locations throughout the cabin, placing this potentially lifesaving technology within easy reach of passengers, providing them great peace of mind,” shares Doug King, CEO of Epic Aircraft.

Garmin Autoland is capable of controlling and landing the E1000 AX without human intervention in the event a pilot becomes unable to fly. Passengers can activate the system with the push of a dedicated button or Autoland will engage automatically if it determines the pilot is incapacitated. Once activated, the system evaluates nearby airports (factoring in distance, runway length, fuel range, terrain and weather), selects the most suitable runway to land on and flies the aircraft to that runway while automatically communicating its intentions to passengers and air traffic control. Upon reaching the airport, Autoland lands the aircraft and shuts down the engine, bringing it to a safe stop without pilot input.

Fully integrated with the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite, Autoland works in concert with Garmin Autothrottle, also featured on the E1000 AX, which manages engine power throughout the flight and provides protection against exceedances while also providing protection against overspeed and underspeed conditions.

“Earning FAA certification for Autoland is the result of years of dedicated engineering and testing,” adds King. “It reflects our team's unwavering commitment to safety, and we're proud to bring this technology to E1000 AX owners.”