Garmin GFC 600

The Garmin GFC 600 is a highly advanced digital autopilot system designed for high-performance piston and turbine aircraft. This sophisticated autopilot offers exceptional in-flight characteristics and comprehensive operational capabilities, including autopilot-coupled vertical navigation (VNAV) and a fully coupled go-around function. With superior integration potential, the GFC 600 seamlessly connects with Garmin's G500/G600 TXi flight displays, GTN series navigators, and other third-party systems, providing pilots with enhanced situational awareness and reduced workload. The system's advanced features, such as underspeed and overspeed protection, electronic stability and protection, and a dedicated return-to-level (LVL) mode, ensure a safer and more efficient flying experience.

INSTALLATION REQUEST

ADD SOPHISTICATED FLIGHT CONTROL TO YOUR PISTON OR TURBINE AIRCRAFT

Offering superior integration and a wide array of safety-enhancing and self-monitoring features, the GFC 600 digital autopilot is a revolution in aftermarket flight control solutions.

This autopilot is designed for a wide range of single-and twin-engine piston and turbine aircraft.

View modes and flight director cue on your select Garmin digital instruments and flight displays.

Digitally driven “smart” servos provide crisp control inputs and a silky-smooth ride.

Fly with safety-enhancing features that include Electronic Stability and Protection (Garmin ESP^™), return-to-level (LVL) mode and more.

Scalable 2-axis (pitch and roll) control can be expanded with available pitch-trim and yaw damper¹.

Pair with your compatible GPS navigator to fly coupled approaches and other procedures.

Maximize performance and capability.

RELIABLE ADAHRS REFERENCE

Forget failure-prone mechanical gyros. Instead, the GFC 600 system is digitally controlled, using solid-state attitude and air data sensors (ADAHRS) for greater precision and reliability.

SIMPLIFIED MODE SELECTION

The GFC 600 mode controller features backlit keys and a bright, sunlight-readable color annunciator display. An intuitive up-down control wheel on the unit allows for easy and precise adjustment of aircraft pitch, airspeed and vertical speed modes.

OPTIONAL MODE ANNUNCIATOR

An available stand-alone indicator allows for supplemental display of mode selections in the pilot’s primary field of view. For easy refit, the unit’s footprint is identical to those of other third-party autopilot mode indicators on the market.

ADAPTABLE ARCHITECTURE

The autopilot’s scalable architecture supports full pitch-and-roll axis control capabilities. Automatic and manual electric pitch trim is supported. Yaw damper capability is also available for select aircraft models.

LATERAL MODES

GFC 600 makes it easy to track your desired lateral course. Roll, heading, NAV (GPS/VOR/LOC), back course and more are available.

VERTICAL MODES

The advanced vertical modes make it easy to manage climbs, descents and more with the GFC 600 system. Vertical modes include pitch hold, altitude hold with preselect, vertical speed, approach and more. Flight level change is available on select platforms.

Integrate, navigate, automate.

FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTEGRATION

Guidance from your compatible navigation source (such as the GTN^™ Xi, GTN^™ or GNS^™ series navigators) enables the GFC 600 system to offer flight director display on your compatible Garmin flight displays and instruments.

AUTOPILOT-COUPLED NAVIGATION

With flight director guidance from compatible Garmin or third-party navigators, GFC 600 can fly a wide range of precision, nonprecision and GPS-guided approaches — as well as holds, procedure turns, missed approaches and more.

COUPLED VNAV

When the GFC 600 system is paired with your GTN or GTN Xi series touchscreen navigator and compatible flight displays, fully coupled VNAV mode can fly a fully coupled vertical descent profile with automatic step-down altitude captures.

SIMPLY GO-AROUND

With support for a remote takeoff/go-around button, the autopilot can be cued to automatically capture the correct pitch attitude required to fly a missed approach then follow the procedure loaded in your compatible GPS navigator.

FLIGHT DISPLAY INTERFACE

For installations with compatible glass flight displays (such as the G600, G500 or our TXi^™ series), interface capability is provided for GFC 600 autopilot mode annunciations, altitude preselect and flight director command bars.

THIRD-PARTY DISPLAY COMPATIBILITY

GFC 600 is adaptable for use with a variety of third-party glass flight displays, instruments and navigation sources.

A superior suite of servos.

POWERFULLY SMART SERVOS

Digitally controlled speed and torque limits on the GFC 600 servos allow faster, crisper and more powerful response — ensuring optimum smoothness and comfort in flight.

BRUSHLESS SERVO MOTORS

For maximum reliability, GFC 600 servos incorporate brushless DC motors. This results in greater system efficiency and reduced maintenance requirements. The servos also provide virtually no control system friction with the autopilot turned off.

Advanced "safety net" features

SMART RUDDER BIAS FEATURE

When appropriately equipped, the GFC 600 digital autopilot offers Smart Rudder Bias to assist with one-engine inoperative events. The Smart Rudder Bias feature helps by automatically identifying the affected engine and applying control inputs to give the pilot time to stabilize the aircraft.

AUTOMATIC LVL MODE

Distracted or disoriented? A dedicated LVL mode button on the autopilot controller commands the autopilot to automatically return the aircraft to straight-and-level flight.

GARMIN ESP CORRECTIVE TECHNOLOGY

When a pilot is hand-flying, this proactive feature functions independently of the autopilot, using the system’s servos to gently nudge the controls back toward level flight if pitch or roll deviations exceed recommended limits. Garmin ESP can be disabled to allow for intentional maneuvers.

OVERSPEED/UNDERSPEED PROTECTION

To help keep the aircraft flying at safe airspeeds, GFC 600 provides overspeed and underspeed protection with automatic pitch adjustments and audible “airspeed, airspeed” pilot alerts.

Retrofit made simple.

APPROVED MODEL LIST CERTIFICATION

With supplemental type certification completed for a growing list of aircraft models, see your authorized Garmin dealer for an approved GFC 600 system installation that meets your mission requirements and budget.

SUPPORT TO KEEP YOU FLYING

Backed by a comprehensive warranty and the industry’s No. 1-rated support team, GFC 600 is a total peace-of-mind investment for getting full utility out of your aircraft. See your authorized Garmin dealer to learn more.