Bell Textron Inc. has announced that the Bell 407GXi 3-axis autopilot has received certification from the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This certification allows the company to offer the system to its customers in the UK, providing decreased pilot workload and assistance in the event of inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC), ultimately increasing pilot comfort and ease over long distances.
The Bell 407GXi autopilot system is available in two and three-axis configurations. The two-axis version includes pitch control (altitude hold, IAS hold) and roll control (HDG hold, NAV, vertical navigation mode), while the three-axis option adds yaw control. In addition, the system is equipped with a stability augmentation system to automatically recover the aircraft to near-level flight attitude at all speeds in the event of an adverse roll or pitch.