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Understanding Garmin Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP)
E-S-P. Three simple letters, with an extremely powerful meaning: Electronic Stability & Protection. It’s a feature our team designed to keep a watchful eye on an aircraft’s flight condition — and lend a helping hand if needed.
The ESP™ protection features, and associated display annunciations may vary by aircraft manufacturer and airframe. Please review the Pilot’s Guide for your aircraft to ensure a complete understanding of these features as installed in your aircraft. For GFC 500™ and GFC 600™ retrofit autopilot installations, please review the FAA Approved Flight Manual Supplement for your aircraft's installation in addition to your Pilot's Guide. FAA Approved Flight Manual Supplements for the GFC 500 can be found here. FAA Approved Flight Manual Supplements for the GFC 600 can be found here.
What is ESP™?
- ESP is a safeguard created to assist you in maintaining safe, stable flight when hand-flying your aircraft. It monitors the aircraft’s flight condition, functioning independently of the autopilot, and it applies a control force toward stable flight whenever pitch or roll deviations exceed recommended limits. ESP can also recognize when underspeed or overspeed conditions are about to occur — such as a stall or too-steep of a descent — and it makes appropriate adjustments to the controls. Plus, if the system detects that ESP has been activated for an extended period of time, the autopilot will engage with the flight director in level mode to bring the aircraft back to level flight. However, if you’re training or practicing, ESP can be manually disabled to allow intentional flight maneuvers that extend beyond the operational envelope.
Where is ESP?
- ESP can be found in many of our most popular integrated flight decks, including a number of G1000® NXi- and G3000®-equipped aircraft, along with our cost-effective GFC 500 retrofit autopilot for light single-engine aircraft, and GFC 600 retrofit autopilot for high-performance, more complex aircraft. Experimental/LSA owners and pilots can also take advantage of ESP with our G3X™ and G3X Touch™ experimental flight display systems by utilizing compatible G3X autopilot servos.
How can ESP help?
- Lately, an important discussion within the aviation community has centered around aircraft loss-of-control scenarios—in fact, it’s on the NTSB’s “Most Wanted” list. ESP is a direct result of these conversations. By helping to avoid the onset of inadvertent stall/spins, steep spirals or other loss-of-control situations, we want to help make the flight environment even better.
Does ESP modify the way my airplane flies?
ESP does not change the way the aircraft flies. Instead, ESP provides a restoring force back within its normal flight envelope.
The system continuously monitors the aircraft’s performance and dynamics, providing pilots with timely alerts and corrective actions to prevent potential loss of control. By helping maintain the aircraft within its operational limits, ESP serves as an essential tool for enhancing flight safety.
The ESP system was developed with corrective forces low enough, so that the pilot could overcome the system if needed.
ESP Functionality and Limitations
ESP will only function when the aircraft is above 200 feet AGL and the autopilot is not engaged.
ESP engages when the aircraft exceeds one or more conditions beyond the normal flight envelope (e.g., pitch, roll, Vne, or impending stall). Enhanced stability for each condition is provided by applying a force to the appropriate control surface to return the aircraft to the normal flight envelope. This is perceived by the pilot as resistance to control movement in the undesired direction when the aircraft approaches a steep attitude, high airspeed, or impending stall condition.
The ESP feature will only function when the aircraft meets the following conditions:
The aircraft is in flight. The system infers this by speed (GPS ground speed > 30 kts, or True Airspeed > 50 kts).
The aircraft is above 200 feet AGL (GPS Altitude, if available).
The autopilot is not engaged (i.e., the pilot is “hand flying” the aircraft).
The aircraft is within the maximum engagement limit range (±50º in pitch and ±75º in roll).
ESP is automatically enabled above 200 ft AGL GPS altitude. If a GPS Loss of Integrity (LOI) occurs, ESP will default to enabled; however, low speed ESP functions will be disabled.
ESP operates based on the data it receives from the system’s flight instruments. If the flight instruments are providing inaccurate data, ESP may still use that data to operate, which may provide unintended results.
How Can ESP be Disabled on Each System?
ESP is automatically enabled at system initialization. If flight maneuvers exceeding the normal ESP envelope are intended, or if erroneous flight instrument data results in undesired operation, the ESP feature can be disabled. Follow these guidelines for specific Garmin systems (this guidance may differ slightly for each airframe):
G1000/G1000 NXi
Use the FMS knob to select the Aux-System Setup Page.
If necessary, press the Setup 2 Softkey to display the “Aux- System Setup 2” Page.
Push the FMS Knob to place the cursor in the “Stability & Protection” Field.
Turn the small FMS Knob to select “Enabled” or “Disabled.”
Push the FMS Knob to deactivate the cursor.
- Example of a G1000 NXi with and without ESP installed:
- Example of ESP showing enabled from the G1000 NXi's Aux settings:
G3000
On the GTC, from Home, touch Utilities.
Touch Setup.
Touch Avionics Settings.
If necessary, scroll to display the Stability & Protection Button.
Touch the Stability and Protection Button to enable or disable ESP.
A green annunciator on the button indicates ESP is enabled.
G5/GFC 500 Installations
From the G5’s PFD Page, press the Selection Knob to display the menu.
Turn the Selection Knob to highlight ESP.
Press the Selection Knob to enable or disable ESP.
- Example of a G5 PFD Display with ESP enabled:
GI 275/GFC 500 Installations
From the GI 275's ADI Page, press and hold the Selection Knob, or swipe up on the screen to display the Menu.
Rotate the knob or swipe across the menu items to select ESP.
Press the knob or touch the ESP menu button to enable or disable ESP.
GFC 600
From the GMC 605, the pilot can interrupt ESP by pressing and holding the AP DISC / TRIM INT button. If the AP DISC / TRIM INT button is held down for 5 seconds or more, ESP will be disabled.
ESP will be re-enabled when either of the AP or FD keys are selected on or power is cycled on the GMC 605.
ESP is always enabled by default when applying system power.
Example of GMC 605 with ESP disabled:
G3X Touch
From the PFD, touch the Autopilot Status Box.
Or
From the Main Menu, touch Flight Controls.
The Automatic Flight Control System page is displayed.
Touch the ESP button on the Automatic Flight Control System page to enable/disable ESP.
- Example of a G3X Touch with ESP enabled:
Disabling the ESP feature can lead to increased risk of loss of control, especially in adverse weather conditions. It is strongly advised to keep the ESP enabled for optimal safety. Always refer to the Pilot’s Guide for your specific Garmin product for detailed instructions and safety information.
Garmin Autonomí®
Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP) is a feature that is part of the Garmin Autonomí® family of autonomous safety-enhancing technologies.
The Garmin Autonomí® family includes:
Autoland.
Electronic Stability and Protection.
Emergency Descent Mode.
Smart Rudder Bias.
Smart Glide.
- More information on the Garmin Autonomí® family, including ESP can be found here: https://discover.garmin.com/en-US/autonomi/#esp