Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

Garmin has received FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for its GFC 600 digital autopilot in Beechcraft King Air F90s. The GFC 600 reduces workload and brings additional functions such as vertical navigation (VNAV), automatic course deviation indicator (CDI) switching when paired with a GTN series navigator, and enhanced go-around capabilities, including missed approach sequencing. Installations in King Air F90s will be available at select Garmin-authorized dealers starting next week.
The autopilot upgrade allows integration with G600 and G600 TXi flight displays, the GI 275 electronic flight instrument, and the GTN and GTN Xi series of navigators. The self-contained autopilot controller incorporates backlit keys and a sunlight-readable display that depicts autopilot status and mode selection.
A built-in control wheel provides convenient adjustment of aircraft pitch, airspeed, and vertical speed modes. When the pilot selects the level button, the aircraft automatically returns to straight-and-level flight.
The system's hardened autopilot servos employ brushless DC motors that improve performance and reduce maintenance burdens compared with decades-old servo designs still in use. These servos offer more torque to help pilots better respond to the demands required of turbine aircraft.
The standard mark-width (6.25-inch) design of the GFC 600 mode controller ensures the autopilot controller allows for routine installation into the aircraft’s avionics stack, according to Garmin. In King Air F90s, the GFC 600 will require a G600 TXi or G600 flight display.
Along with traditional autopilot capabilities such as altitude hold, vertical speed, and heading modes, the GFC 600 includes altitude preselect and indicated airspeed hold mode; the ability to select, couple, and fly various instrument approaches including GPS, ILS, VOR, LOC, and back course approaches; built-in GPS roll steering capability for smoother navigation tracking when installed with a compatible navigator; and a Level Mode button, which automatically engages the autopilot to restore the aircraft to straight and level flight.&nbsp;
Standard equipment includes Garmin Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP) with the GFC 600 digital autopilot, which works to assist the pilot in maintaining the aircraft in a stable flight condition. ESP functions independently of the autopilot and works in the background to help pilots avoid inadvertent flight attitudes or bank angles and provide airspeed protection while hand-flying the aircraft.
With the approval of the GFC 600 digital autopilot, the King Air F90 will receive Low Bank Mode to help increase passenger comfort by automatically lowering the autopilot roll limit at higher altitudes. The pilot can also use a separate switch to activate/deactivate Low Bank Mode at any altitude. Additionally, GFC 600-equipped King Air F90s will feature Emergency Descent Mode (EDM). In the event that an aircraft loses cabin pressurization, EDM can allow it to automatically descend to a preset altitude without pilot intervention to help avert hypoxic situations.

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In this article

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