Moog has received a Supplemental Type Certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its GRC 4000 four-axis autopilot designed for UH-60A and UH-60A+ Black Hawk helicopters.
According to the company, the certification makes the GRC 4000 the first retrofit four-axis autopilot approved for instrument flight rules operations on the Black Hawk.
The system has been integrated into Moog’s existing Black Hawk avionics package and is intended for installation on in-service aircraft rather than new production helicopters.
Beyond the Supplemental Type Certificate, Moog said the certified avionics package meets the FAA’s highest recommended level for technologies designed to help prevent rotorcraft loss-of-control accidents.
The guidance focuses on accidents in which helicopters inadvertently enter low-visibility conditions that require instrument flight, and pilots subsequently lose control of the aircraft.
Moog said it plans to expand the certification to the UH-60L and Sikorsky S-70i.
The announcement follows a March demonstration in which Moog paired the GRC 4000 with the Black Hawk’s Genesys Avionics Suite.
During trials, an upgraded UH-60 completed a fully automated flight from liftoff to landing after the autopilot was activated with a single button.
Automation and Flight Safety
The GRC 4000 provides four-axis flight control, enabling automatic management of heading, altitude, speed, and hover throughout the flight.
Integrated with the aircraft’s flight management system, it is designed to reduce pilot workload during instrument flight and low-visibility operations.
According to Moog, the system can automatically recover the helicopter to level flight after an upset while providing continuous stability augmentation.
It also supports automated navigation and hover operations for missions including troop transport, logistics, search and rescue, firefighting, and law enforcement.
