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by rexaliquid 2427 days ago
Similar, but also kind of the opposite. Xavion is for when you have a functioning pilot, but a malfunctioning plane. Emergency Autoland is for when you have a functioning plane, but not a functioning pilot.
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Austin Meyer did help on an actual autoland device that was based on the same concept: the VP-400 by Vertical Power. But I'm not sure it ever went anywhere. In theory with that system, you could push the "oh-shit" button if you lose your engine, and it would take over the autopilot to try to automatically fly the calculated path.

Of course I don't think it was as fully integrated, so no automatic radio callouts or anything.

I'm not sure if the product actually ever became available.

HOWEVER: If you have a TruTrak autopilot, and an an iLevil ADS-B receiver, then Xavion has a super experimental "auto" button that will actually control the autopilot, to attempt to automatically fly the calculated course.