Garmin® continues to transform the industry with growing portfolio of autopilot aircraft approvals

By Staff 4 years ago

OLATHE, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced it continues to roll out autopilot aircraft approvals at an increasing rate for the GFC™ 500 and GFC 600 autopilots. Several popular aircraft such as the Bonanza B36TC, Cessna T210, Cessna 421C and Piper PA-46 are among the latest additions to a growing list of aircraft approvals, allowing these aircraft owners to experience the superior benefits of a modern Garmin autopilot.


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In just three years, Garmin has completed 42 Supplemental Type Certifications (STC) on over 30 popular aircraft, spanning nearly 200 aircraft models between both autopilots, with more aircraft approvals in progress and many more to follow. Each aircraft undergoes a comprehensive flight test program at a Garmin flight operations facility, which includes flight testing at a variety of aircraft weight and center of gravity (CG) limits, as well as a full range of altitude and airspeed tests. In addition to standard autopilot functions, features such as underspeed and overspeed protection, Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP™), vertical navigation and take-off and go-around modes are also thoroughly evaluated for each individual aircraft. These complex and rigorous certification processes demonstrate Garmin’s commitment to bring highly capable, state-of-the-art autopilots to our customers.

“As Garmin increasingly expands its portfolio of aircraft approvals, demand for the GFC 500 and GFC 600 continues to achieve significant growth,” said Carl Wolf, vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “We are humbled by the popularity of these game-changing autopilots as they have redefined the standard of what aircraft owners should expect from an autopilot and based on the overwhelming demand – our customers agree.”

New aircraft models approved for the GFC 500 autopilot include:

  • Beechcraft Bonanza
    • Models: B36TC, N35, P35
  • Cessna T210
    • Models: 210G, 210H, 210J, T210G, T210H, T210J

New aircraft models approved for the GFC 600 autopilot include:

  • Cessna 421
    • Models: 421C
  • Piper PA-46
    • Models: 310P, 350P

The full-featured GFC 500 and GFC 600 autopilots provide thousands of existing general aviation aircraft with a simple, light-weight, cost-effective autopilot upgrade path. The GFC 500 and GFC 600 incorporate a solid state attitude source with robust self-monitoring capabilities to provide superior autopilot performance, greater reliability and safety benefits that are similar to Garmin’s popular GFC 700 autopilot used in our integrated flight decks. In addition to traditional autopilot capabilities such as altitude hold, vertical speed and heading modes, the GFC 500 and GFC 600 also include altitude preselect, VNAV1, Level Mode, underspeed and overspeed protection and more. Pilots can also select, couple to and fly various instrument approaches, including GPS, ILS, VOR, LOC and back course approaches when paired with a compatible GPS navigator.

As a standard feature on both the GFC 500 and GFC 600 autopilots, pilots receive Garmin ESP, which works to assist the pilot in maintaining the aircraft in a stable flight condition. ESP functions independently of the autopilot and works in the background to help pilots avoid inadvertent flight attitudes or bank angles and provides airspeed protection while the pilot is hand-flying the aircraft.

The GFC 500 autopilot uniquely integrates with the G5 or GI 275 electronic flight instruments for attitude reference. The G500 TXi & G600 TXi flight displays can also be paired with the GFC 500 and the G5 or GI 275 flight instruments, allowing flight director and autopilot modes to be seamlessly integrated on a larger format display. Additionally, the GFC 500 and G5 can be used in cooperation with the G3X™ Touch and the G500/G600 flight displays.

Aircraft that are currently certified for the GFC 600 and GFC 500 autopilot are as follows:

GFC 500

  • Aviat Husky (A-1, A-1A, A-1B, A-1C-180, A-1C-200)
  • Beechcraft Bonanza (S35, V35, V35A, V35B, 36, A36, A36TC*, B36TC, N35, P35)
  • Beechcraft Bonanza/Debonair (33, A33, B33, C33, C33A, E33, E33A, E33C, F33*, F33A, F33C*, G33*)
  • Cessna 172 (E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, F172E, F172F, F172G, F172H, F172K, F172L, F172M, F172N, F172P, FR172K, R172K)
  • Cessna 177 (177B, 177RG, F177RG)
  • Cessna 180 (180, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K)
  • Cessna 182 (E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, T182, T182T, F182P, F182Q)
  • Cessna 182RG (R182, FR182, TR182)
  • Cessna 185 (185, A, B, C, D, E, A185E, A185F)
  • Cessna 206 (U206F*, TU206F*, U206G, TU206G, 206H, T206H)
  • Cessna 210 (210G, 210H, 210J, T210G, T210H, T210J, 210K, T210K, 210L, T210L, 210M, T210M, 210N, T210N, )
  • Grumman (American General) AA-5 Series (AA-5 Traveler, AA-5A Cheetah, AA-5B Tiger, AG-5B Tiger)
  • Mooney M20 (J, K, M, R, S)
  • Piper PA-28 (140, 150, 151, 160, 161, 180, 181, 201T, 235, 236 and Overhead Trim Models)
  • Piper PA-28R (180, 200, 201, 201T)
  • Piper PA-28RT (201, 201T)
  • Piper PA-32 (260, 300, 301, 301T, 301FT, 301XTC)
  • Piper PA-32R (300, 301SP, 301HP, 301T)
  • Piper PA-32RT (300, 300T)

GFC 600

  • Beechcraft Baron (B55, B55A, C55, C55A, D55, D55A, E55, E55A, 58, 58A, 58P, 58PA, 58TC*, 58TCA*)
  • Beechcraft Bonanza (36, A36, A36TC)
  • Cessna 182 (P, Q, R, S, T, T182, T182T)
  • Cessna Grand Caravan (208, 208B)
  • Cessna 340 (340, 340A)
  • Cessna 414 (414A)
  • Cessna 421 (421C)
  • Cessna 425 (425)
  • Piper PA-46 (310P, 310P JetPROP, 350P, 350P JetPROP)
  • Socata TBM (700, A, B, C1, C2, N (TBM 850)

For customers who already have a G5 or GI 275 electronic flight instrument, the GFC 500 starts at a suggested retail price of $6,9952 for select aircraft with a 2-axis autopilot. Select aircraft with the GFC 600 autopilot start at a suggested retail price of $19,9952 for a 2-axis autopilot with electric pitch trim. During the week of AirVenture 2020, Garmin will be hosting a series of free educational webinars and product demonstrations, and feature unique opportunities that will bring the Garmin exhibit experience direct to its customers. Check out Garmin’s full line-up of virtual AirVenture Oshkosh events at www.garmin.com/OSH2020.

Garmin’s aviation business segment is a leading provider of solutions to OEM, aftermarket, military and government customers. Garmin’s portfolio includes navigation, communication, flight control, hazard avoidance, an expansive suite of ADS-B solutions and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability, and value. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garminnews, instagram.com/garmin or youtube.com/garmin.

1. GTN series or GTN Xi series navigator required

2. Installation not included

*Certain serial numbers excluded, see authorized Garmin installation center for details

About Garmin International, Inc.
 Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark and ESP, G3X and GFC are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Apple is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. 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 28, 2019, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://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.

Category: Aviation

Contacts

Jessica Koss

913-397-8200

media.relations@garmin.com

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