Smart Glide is designed to assist the pilot by enhancing situational awareness and providing helpful automation during an emergency inoperative engine event. To activate Smart Glide press the optionally installed cockpit mounted SMART GLIDE Button or press and hold the Direct-To or EMER Softkeys until Smart Glide is activated. Smart Glide can also be activated in the 'Emergency' Page using the Smart Glide Button. When Smart Glide is active, the EMER Button on the Data Bar is replaced with a Glide Button and the Smart Glide Button on the 'Emergency' Page is replaced with a Cancel Glide Button.

When Smart Glide is activated the aural alert, "Smart Glide Active, Engaging Autopilot, Airport [XX] O'clock, [XX] Miles" is heard ("Engaging Autopilot" is only heard if an AFCS is installed and configured). If no airport is within glide range the annunciation "No airports within glide range" is played. The 'Emergency' Window is opened and if more than one AXIS™ flight display is installed the 'Map' Application Page will open with the VSD inset displayed. The active COM standby frequency will be loaded with the CTAF/Tower frequency of the nearest airport, if more than one radio is operational the inactive COM standby frequency will be loaded with the emergency frequency (121.5 MHz).

Once initiated, Smart Glide performs an airport selection algorithm to determine the most suitable landing location within the aircraft's glide range. The algorithm is an optimization scheme that considers several factors including runway attributes, distance, and wind. The routing algorithm determines a path to the chosen airport that avoids terrain and obstacles. The flight director and Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) is automatically activated to provide lateral and speed guidance along the route. If no airport is within glide range, the AFCS will couple ROL and IAS Modes.

The AXIS flight display monitors the performance of the descent throughout the glide to the airport environment. If the destination airport falls out of the glide range, the aural alert 'Airport Out of Range' is played. The AXIS will attempt to establish a new destination airport, if a suitable airport can be located.

When the system determines there is not a suitable airport within glide range, the alert message 'No Airport - Find Alternate Landing Area' is displayed on the Emergency Page and the aural alert "No Airports Within Glide Range" is played. When the AFCS is enabled, the flight director modes are ROL with a wings level roll attitude and IAS with a configured best glide speed reference. The autopilot automatically engages and follows the Smart Glide flight director guidance.

When determining if an airport is within range, the system uses the configured Sink Rate at V_G value. When under partial power, range will be greater than expected by the system. The system monitors for suitable runways that may come into glide range; if an airport comes into glide range, the AXIS flight display provides that airport as a Smart Glide option in the 'Alternate Airports' List for selection by the pilot. The flight director and autopilot remain engaged until pilot action is taken.

Smart Glide assists the pilot with three critical components for a safe recovery from an engine failure:

If the aircraft arrives to the airport environment with too much altitude to make a landing, Smart Glide will calculate and provide guidance for a series of descending spirals that can be flown coupled to the AFCS to reduce the excess altitude. This function is intended to provide the pilot sufficient excess energy to hand fly and align the aircraft with the desired runway for landing. Only one spiral is added to the end of the guidance at a time, each successive spiral is added when nearing the end of the current spiral to ensure there is enough altitude to maintain flight.

When the automatic route guidance is nearing its end, the system will provide the following audio and visual alerting to prepare the pilot to begin preparation for landing: