Safety and Connectivity at Aviation’s Forefront  

Piper Aircraft—the storied, Vero-Beach, Florida-based plane-maker—has long occupied the general aviation industry’s vanguard vis-à-vis the enhancement of its aircraft designs with cutting-edge technologies.

Piper’s forward-looking ethos has seen the company be the first to certify Garmin’s GNS 430 GPS/NAV/COM system and, more recently, Collier award-winning Autoland technology. Piper Aircraft remains committed to maintaining its position of technological leadership by provisioning the entirety of its fleet with innovative, safety-enhancing technologies. Ergo, Piper is pleased to announce that later this spring, its G3000-equipped M600/SLS aircraft will be available with a suite of connected aircraft management capabilities.

Subject capabilities are enabled by Garmin’s new PlaneSync technology, which includes a 4G LTE Cellular and Wi-Fi datalink system that streamlines pre and post-flight tasks. By virtue of PlaneSync and Garmin’s Pilot application, M600 owners can, in part, remotely check key aircraft and flight planning information, including fuel-quantity, aircraft location, oil temperature, battery voltage, and current METAR at the aircraft’s location. What’s more, PlaneSync technology automatically and wirelessly downloads databases while the host aircraft is powered down and the owner is away—thereby eliminating the need to manually update aviation databases.

The latest M600/SLS will also include a host of additional updates to existing G3000 software, first previewed to Piper customers at Orlando, Florida’s NBAA-BACE 2022. The updated software includes enhancements to the synthetic vision system, onboard weather radar, navigation, flight planning, checklists, weight and balance calculation capabilities, and stabilized approach monitoring. Among the most significant enhancements to the M600/SLS is the new 3D SafeTaxi system, which expands situational awareness by dint of an advanced 3D depiction of the host aircraft’s ground environment, including airport markers, buildings, and other position markings. The system’s improved taxiway routing guidance provides pilots both graphical and textual information, enhancing positional and situational awareness at even the most complex airports. Additionally, M600/SLS customers will benefit from glide range ring functionality designed to improve situational awareness in the unlikely event of engine power loss.

Piper Aircraft vice-president of sales, marketing, and customer support Ron Gunnarson stated: “At Piper, we take pride in leading the general aviation industry in innovations inside and outside the cockpit. We are grateful to continue to build on this tradition of excellence. Our M600/SLS customers will enjoy the convenience of being connected to their M600 and real-time aircraft status via their Pilot App.”

The Piper M600/SLS with the HALO Safety System is the first general aviation aircraft certified with Garmin Autoland—a revolutionary system that supports digital technology that safely lands the aircraft at the nearest suitable airport in the event the pilot is incapacitated. Additionally, the Garmin G3000 avionics suite in current-production M600/SLS aircraft includes auto throttle, Autoland, Emergency Descent Mode, Electronic Stability Protection, Surface Watch, and SafeTaxi, all of which are designed to enhance safe operation of the aircraft. Beyond the flight deck, the six-seat M600/SLS is powered by a Pratt & Whitney’s six-hundred-shaft-horsepower PT6A-42A engine. The aircraft boasts a swift maximum cruise speed of 274-knots, a maximum range of 1,658-nautical-miles, and a standard useful load of 2,400-pounds.

FMI: www.piper.com