Textron Aviation is continuing the flight test programme for the new Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3 business jet, with the latest series of tests including Garmin Emergency Autoland, a system capable of fully autonomously taking control of the aircraft in an emergency, selecting a suitable airport, conducting the approach and landing, and bringing the aircraft to a complete stop.

The system was intentionally activated during a test flight by flight test pilots Corey Eckhart and James Bearman. This allowed engineers to observe the operation of Emergency Autoland under real-world conditions and assess its integration with the aircraft’s navigation, communication and flight control systems.

According to Textron Aviation, the system successfully took over navigation and communications during the test and carried out the landing sequence. Emergency Autoland is designed to independently select a suitable landing location after activation, guide the aircraft to the runway and bring it to a complete stop after touchdown.

“One of the most impressive aspects of the flight was how seamlessly the system operated within the overall flight deck environment. Watching an autonomous system take control of the airplane and safely guide it to a landing in an emergency is remarkable,” said flight test pilot Corey Eckhart.

The CJ4 Gen3 is currently progressing through its development and certification programme ahead of expected approval by the US Federal Aviation Administration, FAA. According to the manufacturer, once certified it is expected to become the first light business jet on the market to offer Garmin Emergency Autoland.

Emergency Autoland forms part of a broader upgrade to the flight deck of the new-generation CJ4. The CJ4 Gen3 will also feature Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics, introducing a new user interface, simplified system management and improved pilot situational awareness. The aim is to reduce crew workload while increasing the level of automation and safety.

Garmin’s Emergency Autoland system has become one of the most notable technologies in the general and business aviation sectors in recent years, primarily because it is intended for situations in which the pilot is no longer capable of operating the aircraft. In such a scenario, passengers do not need to know how to fly the aircraft, as the system can autonomously manage the remaining phases of the flight after activation.

By introducing this capability on the Citation CJ4 Gen3, autonomous landing systems are moving further into the business jet segment. For Textron Aviation, the current flight tests represent one of the final key stages in turning the new systems from development projects into certified capabilities available to future aircraft operators.