Garmin(R) Certifies TAWS for the GNS 530(TM) and GPS 500(TM)

Garmin(R) Certifies TAWS for the GNS 530(TM) and GPS 500(TM)

OLATHE, Kan., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), today announced that the company has received FAA certification to add TSO C151b Class-B Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) functionality to the GNS 530 and GPS 500. This certification enables the Garmin 500 series of panel-mount avionics to provide the pilot with graphical and audible alerts of potential terrain and obstacle conflicts along the flight path.

"TAWS technology represents a significant advance in flight safety and its widespread adoption could dramatically reduce the number of terrain-related accidents -- one of the leading causes of fatalities in aviation," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's director of marketing. "Not only does Garmin's TAWS certification for the GNS 530 and GPS 500 help owners of turbine-powered aircraft meet an important FAA mandate, but it also makes TAWS functionality affordable to thousands of single- and twin-engine piston aircraft owners at a fraction of the cost of other systems."

The addition of TAWS enables the GNS 530 and GPS 500 to graphically display the surrounding terrain and obstacles in bright yellow and red, relative to the aircraft's current altitude. Yellow is used to depict conflicts 1,000 to 100 vertical feet below the aircraft. Red is used to depict conflicts 100 vertical feet below the aircraft's current altitude and above. Working in tandem with the aircraft's audio system, the TAWS-certified GNS 530 and GPS 500 provide audible cautions and warnings to alert the pilot of a possible terrain and obstacle conflict. Audible and graphical alerts include forward-looking terrain avoidance, imminent terrain impact, premature descent during approach, altitude loss after takeoff, 500-foot callout and excessive rate of descent.

The FAA is requiring that all U.S.-registered, turbine-powered aircraft with six or more passenger seats be equipped with certified TAWS technology by the end of March 2005.

The GNS 530 is an integrated system with IFR oceanic-approved GPS, VHF navigation with instrument landing system, and VHF communication with 8.33-kHz channel spacing. Its five-inch (diagonal) color TFT display features an electronic map with a built-in database of cities, highways, rivers, lakes and coastlines, as well as a complete Jeppesen database. Further, it is designed to interface with traffic-avoidance, lightning-detection and weather-datalink systems like a multi-function display (MFD). The GPS 500 is an IFR oceanic- approved GPS navigation system with a five-inch, color moving-map display. Like the GNS 530, it also has MFD-like attributes.

The TAWS-certified GNS 530 and GPS 500 systems are now available starting at $24,995 and $20,500 (MSRP), respectively.

Garmin also offers a TAWS upgrade program for current owners of GNS 530 and GPS 500 systems. The program requires owners to contact their Garmin distributor, who will send the equipment to Garmin's overhaul facilities in the U.S. and U.K., where the TAWS upgrade will be performed. The cost of this upgrade is $8,000.

Garmin International Inc. is a member of the Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN) group of companies, which designs and manufactures navigation, communication and information devices -- most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin is a leader in the general aviation and consumer GPS markets and its products serve aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless 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, and GNS 530 and GPS 500 are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.

Notice on forward-looking statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Any statements regarding the company's product introductions and expected product availability dates are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking events discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of risk factors affecting Garmin, including (but not limited to) risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2003 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 from http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html .


Source: Garmin Ltd.

CONTACT: Pete Brumbaugh or Ted Gartner, both of Garmin International
Inc., +1-913-397-8200, media.relations@garmin.com

Web site: http://www.garmin.com/pressroom
http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html
http://www.garmin.com/


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