Pilatus PC-12 PRO adds Autoland. Buyers may start to expect it

The highest-stakes new button in the single-engine turboprop market is one the owner hopes a passenger never touches. Garmin's Emergency Autoland has seen little real-world use since its introduction in October 2019, but multiple OEMs have been adding the feature to their aircraft. Now, Pilatus is adding its flagship turboprop to the growing list. Pilatus announced on Sept. 24 that the Autoland system has been certified on the PC-12 PRO by both the FAA and EASA. The turboprop was originally introduced in 2025 with the Garmin G3000 PRIME flight deck, and Autoland was always expected to follow once certification was complete, according to industry sources. The PC-12 line is a staple of single-pilot flying, exactly the kind of aircraft where pilot-incapacitation scenarios receive close attention. The technology is designed to safely land the aircraft if the pilot becomes incapacitated. It continuously evaluates weather, fuel, terrain, airport suitability and aircraft condition before selecting an airport and completing an automated landing. It also manages communications and aircraft systems throughout the process. Autoland has been certified on the Cirrus Vision Jet and SR pistons, Piper's M600 and M700, Daher's TBM 940 and 960, and, as a retrofit, the Beechcraft King Air 200 and 350. The HondaJet Elite II was the first twin-engine very light jet to be certified for the system and the Embraer Phenom 300EV was the first light jet to receive it. Why it matters Many owner-flown aircraft purchases are fundamentally safety decisions as much as transportation decisions. Buyers compare avionics, autopilots, envelope protection systems, weather technology and emergency capabilities alongside speed and range. The interesting question isn't whether Autoland works. The technology is already certified across multiple platforms. The more important question is whether buyers begin viewing it the same way they now view other standard features rather than as an optional luxury. The answer increasingly appears to be "yes." With Pilatus on board, asking whether an airplane has Autoland may soon sound like asking whether it has an autopilot.