Garmin’s GNS 400/500 series has earned TSO C146a Gamma-3 certification, which enables pilots to fly Lateral-Precision with Vertical (LPV) guidance approaches and receive GPS navigation via the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).
The FAA also granted AML (approved model list) STC approval allowing the 400W/500W equipment to be installed on more than 980 makes and models of aircraft.
“Since the FAA commissioned WAAS in 2003, there has been an enormous demand for WAAS-certified equipment in the marketplace,” said Garmin’s Gary Kelley. “All 75,000 Garmin GNS 400/500 series products currently in the field can upgrade to WAAS. We expect the number of WAAS-equipped aircraft to increase quickly, and pilots will be able to operate to and from airports that would otherwise be unavailable to them in marginal weather.”
Owners will be able to upgrade to meet WAAS standards without a field approval. These upgrades include 5 Hz position updates, faster map redraws, fully coupled and guided procedure turns and holding patterns, and increased XM weather content.
Garmin’s GNS 400W/500W series meets the FAA’s highest level of certification for WAAS navigation. The units use satellite-based navaids for precise lateral and vertical approach guidance — similar to Instrument Landing System (ILS) operations — without the need for ground-based navaids.
The Gamma-3 level of certification lets pilots fly the FAA’s new LPV approaches. The FAA has already published more than 600 LPV and 5,500 WAAS approach procedures.
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