Safe Flight Instrument announced that West Star Aviation has received a supplemental type certificate (STC) to install Safe Flight's AutoPower automatic throttle system on the Hawker Beechcraft 750/800/850/900 business jet series.

The AutoPower system features throttles that move in response to power changes to keep the pilots in the situational awareness loop. In addition to reducing cockpit workload, AutoPower's improved throttle management has been proven to reduce fuel burn. “We've seen a 10 percent fuel savings on a four-hour flight and 6 percent savings on a two-hour flight,” said Thomas Grunbeck, Safe Flight's senior vice president of sales and marketing.

The total weight penalty to install the Safe Flight system is just 25 pounds, while the list price is $180,000. West Star Aviation will handle all of the Hawker installations for Safe Flight from its locations in Alton, Ill, Grand Junction, Colo. and Dallas, Texas.

Also newly certified is Safe Flight's AutoPower system as a retrofit for the Gulfstream G150 and G200. AutoPower is an option on all new G150s. Still in development is Safe Flight's AutoPower system for the Citation X, expected to be certified in the first quarter of 2013. While Hawker AutoPower installations will be handled by a third party, the Gulfstream and Citation upgrades will be handled by the individual aircraft manufacturers.