A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Business Aviation Services Editor

Curt Epstein

The FAA has approved the retrofit of Garmin’s Autoland and Autothrottle systems for certain Beechcraft King Air 300-series turboprop twins.&nbsp;According to Garmin, the installation options apply only to G1000 NXi flight deck-equipped 300-series King Airs with four-bladed propellers and PT6-60A engines.
For the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2019-10-30/autoland-garmins-newest-safety-feature">Autoland</a>&nbsp;safety system, King Air 350s meeting the above criteria are eligible for the modification, which includes Autoland. In case of pilot incapacitation, Autoland will autonomously land the aircraft at the nearest suitable airport with the touch of a button or a period of pilot control input inactivity.
For select King Air 300s and 350s, Garmin’s Autothrottle will fully integrate with the G1000 NXi cockpit to reduce pilot workload by automatically controlling engine power levels from takeoff to landing. The system also provides ITT and torque protection by reducing power when it senses overtemperature or overtorque conditions. As an additional layer of safety, it will activate automatically in the event of an overspeed or underspeed situation, or in cases of an engine failure, it will adjust the active throttle to maintain the desired airspeed.
“Nearly 1,000 King Air operators now enjoy the capabilities that the G1000 upgrade has provided them,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin’s v-p of aviation sales, marketing, programs, and support. “This certification also marks the largest airplane to date equipped with Autoland, and is the eleventh aircraft model certified with this potentially life-saving technology.”

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

Garmin Autoland, Autothrottle Approved for Certain King Air 300 Series

The upgrade requires the G1000NXi cockpit upgrade

Garmin has received FAA approval for the retrofit of its Autoland and Autothrottle on certain King Air 300 series models.

Garmin Autoland, Autothrottle OK’d for Some King Air 300s

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Tech like this can act as additional eyes for the pilot.

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