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Bend, Ore. (September 30, 2026) — Epic Aircraft today announced that the FAA has certified Garmin® Autoland for the E1000 AX, marking a significant safety milestone for the category-leading single-engine turboprop. First announced at Sun ‘n Fun in April 2025 alongside Garmin Autothrottle, Epic Aircraft has completed the rigorous FAA certification process and is cleared for installation on the E1000 AX aircraft.
“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, LLC.
Garmin Autoland is capable of controlling and landing the E1000 AX without human intervention in the event a pilot becomes unable to fly. Passengers can activate the system with the push of a dedicated button, or Autoland will engage automatically if it determines the pilot is incapacitated. Once activated, the system evaluates nearby airports (factoring in distance, runway length, fuel range, terrain and weather), selects the most suitable runway to land on, and flies the aircraft to that runway while automatically communicating its intentions to passengers and air traffic control. Upon reaching the airport, Autoland lands the aircraft and shuts down the engine, bringing it to a safe stop without pilot input.
Fully integrated with the Garmin G1000 NXi®Avionics Suite, Autoland works in concert with Garmin Autothrottle — also featured on the E1000 AX — which manages engine power throughout the flight and provides protection against exceedances while also providing protection against overspeed and underspeed conditions.
“Earning FAA certification for Autoland is the result of years of dedicated engineering and testing,” said King. “It reflects our team’s unwavering commitment to safety, and we’re proud to bring this technology to E1000 AX owners.”
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About Epic Aircraft Epic Aircraft, LLC specializes in the design and manufacture of high-performance, all-composite, single-engine turboprop aircraft. Epic’s award-winning E1000 received FAA certification in 2019, followed by certification of the E1000 GX in 2021 and the E1000 AX in 2025. Privately held, the design-driven aviation company conducts all of its engineering, manufacturing, and administrative operations at its headquarters in Bend, Oregon. For more information about Epic Aircraft, please visit epicaircraft.com.
Media Contact: Epic Aircraft, LLC Amy Foster Trenz, Sales & Marketing Director amyt@epicaircraft.com 541.241.2625
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