Wed, Sep 29, 2010
Field Upgrades, New Systems Approved For Installation
The FAA has approved an STC for Garmin's Helicopter Terrain
Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS), the company announced Monday.
The technology is available immediately as an option on newly
purchased systems or as a field upgrade for current owners. When
HTAWS is 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’s HTAWS has forward looking terrain avoidance
(FLTA) capability with visual and aural advisories to keep pilots
informed of hazardous terrain and obstacles. It incorporates a new
five color terrain scale (red, orange, yellow, green and black),
and also gives voice callouts 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.
Three new helicopter specific databases have been incorporated
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.
Separately, the FAA has approved helicopter installations of a
vertical helicopter mounting rack for Garmin’s GTS 8xx
traffic series products. This is in addition to the already
existing horizontal mounting rack. Both the horizontal and vertical
racks have robust designs that meet the strict vibration
qualifications specifically for helicopter installations (DO-160F).
Therefore, customers have the utmost flexibility when installing a
GTS traffic product because they can choose between a horizontal or
vertical installation.
Garmin’s HTAWS is available immediately for an expected
price of $9,995 as a field upgrade or as an option on new GNS
430W/530W series products. The vertical helicopter mounting rack
for the GTS 8xx traffic series product is also available
immediately.
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