Garmin hits 1,000 King Air G1000 retrofits following landmark U.S. Army delivery

Marking a significant industry milestone, Garmin has delivered its 1,000th G1000 integrated flight deck retrofit for a King Air aircraft. The program has helped redefine cockpit modernization by replacing legacy avionics with an advanced, fully integrated flight deck, giving the iconic turboprop platform a new lease on life through improved performance, enhanced reliability and a contemporary flight deck experience.

Carl Wolf, Garmin Vice President Aviation Sales, Marketing, Programs & Support commented: "Reaching 1,000 King Air retrofits is a testament to the enduring value of this program and the trust customers place in Garmin and our authorized dealer network. From the original G1000 installation to today’s G1000 NXi platform with advanced capabilities such as Garmin Autothrottle and Autoland, we have continued to expand the program to serve King Air operators and missions around the world.”

Jim Williams, Senior Vice President at Stevens Aerospace stated: “To maintain mission readiness of the U.S. Army’s C-12 fleet through 2050, the Army initiated a comprehensive avionics modernization effort. The Garmin G1000 NXi was selected as the fleet’s next-generation avionics solution, and Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems was awarded the contract to perform the upgrades. Feedback from Army aircrews has been overwhelmingly positive. Warfighters report that the Garmin retrofit, enhanced by the Autothrottle system, reduces cockpit workload, improves ease of operation, and delivers outstanding flight performance, helping ensure the C-12 remains a capable and mission-ready platform for decades to come.”

The milestone aircraft, a U.S. Army C-12 Huron, was retrofitted by Stevens Aerospace and Defense with Garmin’s G1000 NXi integrated flight deck and Autothrottle system. The delivery highlights the sustained success of Garmin’s King Air modernization program and its growing role in supporting defense operations with proven commercial off-the-shelf avionics solutions. To date, more than 40 U.S. Army C-12 Huron aircraft have been upgraded with G1000 NXi, creating a standardized, technologically advanced fleet. The 1,000th King Air retrofit was formally handed over during a celebration held on October 6 at Stevens Aerospace and Defense.

LTC (P) James B. Hickey, Project Manager, Fixed Wing said: “The 1,000th Garmin G1000 cockpit installation is more than an industry milestone—it is a tangible example of Army Aviation’s continuous transformation and commitment to delivering ready, resilient capability to the force. By replacing aging analog systems with reliable, data-enabled G1000 technology, we are mitigating obsolescence, reducing lifecycle maintenance burdens, and improving operational readiness. This modernization gives fixed wing Army Aviators enhanced situational awareness and decision advantage while reducing cognitive workload, enabling them to execute complex missions more effectively in demanding and contested operational environments. This achievement reflects the strength of our industrial triad—Stevens Aerospace, Garmin, and Amentum—and demonstrates how government and industry can rapidly deliver modernized capability that positions Army Aviation for the future fight.”

Garmin’s King Air modernization journey began in November 2007 with the first supplemental type certificate for a G1000 retrofit and advanced significantly with the certification of the G1000 NXi in January 2017. Since then, the retrofit program has expanded to cover a broad range of King Air platforms, including the C90A/B, 200, B200, 300 and 350 series, as well as C-12 military variants.

Today, G1000 and G1000 NXi upgrades are flying worldwide, supported by international certification approvals that allow operators across a wide spectrum of missions to benefit from a modern, fully integrated flight deck. By replacing legacy avionics with large-format displays and advanced flight management capabilities, the retrofit enhances operational efficiency, improves reliability and reduces pilot workload while increasing situational awareness.

Garmin has continued to build on the platform with the introduction of advanced automation technologies such as Autothrottle and Autoland for eligible King Air aircraft. Autothrottle automatically manages engine power throughout all phases of flight, helping crews maintain target airspeeds, comply with flight management system constraints, prevent engine exceedances and respond to changing aircraft configurations or engine-out scenarios. Meanwhile, Garmin Autoland provides an additional layer of safety by autonomously flying, landing and stopping the aircraft at a suitable airport if the flight crew becomes unable to operate the aircraft.

The G1000 NXi retrofit also delivers enhanced situational awareness tools, including Synthetic Vision Technology, which provides a highly detailed three-dimensional view of terrain, obstacles, airport environments and taxiways. Additional enhancements include improved topographical rendering, powerline and obstacle depiction, clearer runway visualization and advanced airport signage representation. Safety features are further strengthened by Emergency Descent Mode, which can automatically initiate a controlled descent following a loss of cabin pressurization.

Building on Garmin’s Electronic Stability and Protection technology, the system also incorporates One Engine Inoperative ESP, which helps pilots maintain aircraft control following an engine failure by automatically adjusting pitch and roll protection limits during single-engine operations. Looking ahead, Garmin expects to expand the availability of Autothrottle and Autoland to King Air aircraft operating under increased-gross-weight STCs of up to 16,500 pounds, further extending the capabilities of one of aviation’s most successful avionics modernization programs.