NEWS
G A RMI N WI NS T R OPHY F OR
AUTOL A ND GARMIN HAS BEEN PRESENTED with In addition to being an aviator, humanitarian and sportsman, Robert Collier was a prominent the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for publisher whose family created the Colliers designing, developing and fielding Emergency Weekly. Robert Collier commissioned the Autoland, the world’s first certified autonomous trophy with an intent to encourage the American system that activates during an emergency to aviation community to strive for control and land an aircraft excellence and achievement without human interaction. The Collier Trophy in aeronautical development. - weighs 240 kg Robert J. Collier died in 1918 The award is for the year after completing his military 2020, since its value must service in World War I. be thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the The Collier Trophy, which preceding year. Autoland was dates back to 1911, is awarded awarded FAA type certification annually by the National as standard equipment in Aeronautic Association for three Garmin G3000-equipped the greatest achievements in aeronautics in America, airframes, including the with respect to improving Piper M600, Cirrus SF-50 the performance, safety and Vision Jet (as Safe Return) efficiency of air or space vehicles. and the Daher TBM940 (as HomeSafe). There are Garmin joins NASA, Neil A. over 300 Garmin AutolandArmstrong, William P. Lear, equipped aircraft in service. Howard Hughes, Glenn H. Curtiss and Orville Wright (to “We all know that it’s not a name just a few) to receive the matter of ‘if’ Autoland will be Collier Trophy. The 525-pound called upon, but ‘when’ it will bronze trophy resides at be called upon,” said Garmin’s the National Air and Space Phil Straub after accepting Museum and was brought to the trophy on behalf of the the ceremony in Arlington. The company. To date there have been no Autoland trophy, commissioned by Baltimore sculptor Ernest Wise Keyser is said to represent ‘the activations outside of flight demonstrations. genius of Man (chief figure), which having Still, all three aircraft OEMs report brisk sales conquered Gravity (male figure) and Contrary of Autoland-equipped aircraft given its safety Winds (female figure) and having touched the backstop, particularly among older buyers and bird and found its secrets and soars from earth their families. The system is not yet available in a conqueror.’ j the aftermarket for retrofit.
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December / January 2021/22
