Garmin has added a second rotorcraft—the Bell 505, which is equipped with a Garmin G1000 avionics suite to the list of FAA approvals for its GFC 600H helicopter flight control system (HFCS. The first certification program for the GFC 600H was the Airbus Helicopters AS350 AStar, with certification obtained in February 2020. In the Bell 505, Garmin added some new features to the GFC 600H installation to continue improving safety and utility, including a higher-torque servo for the pedals (for the optional third axis), because in the 505 these are not hydraulically boosted. Bell is offering the GFC 600H as the preferred autopilot for new 505s and its service center network will install them as retrofits for the aftermarket, as will Garmin dealers.
Most 505s are flown by owner-pilots or pilots hired by the owners, according to Garmin OEM sales manager Chris Bauer, with about 40 percent operated in professional, commercial-type operations. Many owner-pilots are new to flying helicopters but are familiar with Garmin avionics in fixed-wing aircraft. “The Garmin solution has safety-enhancing features and benefits that can help protect a fixed-wing pilot moving to rotorcraft,” he said. “There is also commonality and a ton of familiarity in terms of how the autopilot works, the modes, and how to fly it. The commonality is so they don’t have to learn how to manage the flight control system every time they switch aircraft.”
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