Epic E1000 AX gets Autoland, with buttons passengers can reach

When first certified in May 2020 on the Piper M600/SLS, Garmin's Autoland gave single-pilot aircraft an option to land without pilot input. From that point, it has quickly gone from a feature on a few airframes to much more widespread availability, including the Piper M700, TBM 940/960, Cirrus SF50/SR series, King Air 200/350, HondaJet Elite II, Phenom 300EV and PC-12 PRO. Now there's one more aircraft on that list. Epic Aircraft announced on Sept. 30 that its E1000 AX turboprop has received FAA certification for Garmin Emergency Autoland. The technology is designed to safely land the aircraft if the pilot becomes incapacitated. It continuously evaluates weather, fuel, terrain and airport suitability before selecting an airport and completing an automated landing. It also manages communications and aircraft systems throughout the process. The system can be engaged through a dedicated button, or it can activate automatically if it determines the pilot has become incapacitated. While the dedicated button is typically next to the pilot, Epic highlighted that owners could choose where to place it in the cabin. Epic says no other aircraft offers this option. "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," said Doug King, CEO of Epic Aircraft. The E1000 AX debuted in April 2025 and received FAA certification in July 2025. It has a normal cruise speed of 317 KTAS and a maximum range of 1,560 nm. Epic claims that its carbon fiber design and automation features reduce pilot workload while improving the efficiency of auto-flight tasks. Industry reports put the production backlog at about a year. Why it matters With Autoland systems appearing in so many different aircraft and categories, it is fast approaching the mainstream. Each certification raises the likelihood that future buyers will begin evaluating aircraft partly on whether they include an Emergency Autoland capability in the same way they look at autopilot. For Epic, adding the capability keeps the E1000 AX competitive in a market where the newest safety technology is becoming one of the strongest selling points available.