Garmin® Announces an Affordable HTAWS Option for the GNS 430W/530W Family of Products
OLATHE, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced a new Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS) for the GNS 430W/530W series navigators. HTAWS is available as an option on newly purchased systems or as a field upgrade for current owners. When added to the GNS 430W/530W navigators, operators will receive graphical and audible alerts of potential terrain and obstacle conflicts along the flight path.
“Garmin is serious about safety, and HTAWS is life saving technology that will increase safety of flight,” said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s vice president of marketing.
Garmin’s HTAWS has forward-looking terrain avoidance (FLTA) capability with visual and aural advisories to keep pilots advised of hazardous terrain. It incorporates a new five-color terrain scale (red, orange, yellow, green and black), and also gives terrain voice alerts when descending below 500 feet. Voice callouts operate in all HTAWS modes, and Garmin’s technology allows the pilot to select multiple callouts, in one hundred foot intervals, descending from 500 to 100 feet above ground level (AGL). In addition, Garmin’s HTAWS offers a reduced protection (RP) mode that allows low-level operations with minimal alerting while continuing to provide terrain and obstacle protection.
Garmin has incorporated three new helicopter-specific databases for HTAWS. The obstacle database adds nearly 30,000 additional low-altitude obstacles. The new terrain database has been enhanced to show higher resolution. The navigation database lets operators navigate to over 7,000 heliports without having to create user waypoints at those locations.
In addition to viewing HTAWS information on the GNS 430W/530W series, rotorcraft operators who have also installed the new G500H can display all HTAWS annunciations on the G500H’s large PFD and MFD.
Garmin’s HTAWS is expected to be certified and available in the second quarter of 2010 for $9,995 as a field-upgrade or as an option on new GNS 430W/530W series products. Additional information about Garmin’s HTAWS or complete line of helicopter products is available at garmin.com/helicopters.
About Garmin International Inc.
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
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Notice on forward-looking statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company’s future product introductions are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2008, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of Garmin’s Form 10-K can be downloaded at www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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