Garmin® G1000® Equipped King Air 200/B200 Deliveries Begin in Europe Garmin awarded EASA Approval

Garmin, the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it has received the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) validation of the U.S. STC (supplemental type certificate) for the installation of the G1000 avionics suite in the King Air 200 and B200.

“We’ve gone to great lengths to make sure customers who upgrade to this panel have the same leading edge technologies they would find in a jet, while also enjoying the utility and affordability of their King Air,” said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s vice president of marketing. “Receiving EASA validation is an important milestone for Garmin’s G1000 retrofit program, and we believe it will be a popular avionics upgrade for owners and operators.”
Installation of the G1000 system dramatically modernizes the King Air’s panel and meets current European regulatory requirements including 8.33 kHz VHF Communication, VHF Com Immunity from FM radio broadcasts, B-RNAV, P-RNAV, RVSM, SSR Mode S Elementary Surveillance (ELS), SSR Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS), ADS –B (Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast), and TAWS Class B.

The G1000 avionics suite integrates all primary flight information, navigation data, communications, terrain awareness, traffic, weather, and engine instruments on a large 15-inch multi-function display (MFD) and two 10.4-inch primary flight displays (PFD). The G1000 installation on the King Air 200/B200 includes the GFC 700™ three-axis, fully digital, dual channel, fail passive automatic flight control system (AFCS). The GFC 700 includes features you would expect in this class of aircraft such as coupled space based augmentation system (SBAS) approaches such as LNAV/VNAV, LPV and APV.

The King Air 200/B200 STC also includes approval for Garmin’s synthetic vision technology (SVT™) that presents a 3D depiction of terrain, obstacles, traffic and the runway environment on the G1000’s PFD so that the image replicates what pilots would see outside the cockpit on a clear day. Land, water and sky are clearly differentiated with shading and textures that are similar to the topographical colours found on the MFD moving map. SVT works seamlessly to alert pilots of potential ground hazards by displaying terrain and obstacles which pose a threat to the aircraft with appropriate TAWS alert colouring, as well as voice alerts. SVT also includes pathways (or Highway-In-The-Sky) that are depicted as 3D “flying rectangles” and help pilots stay on course when flying en route legs, VNAV legs, GPS/WAAS vertical approach procedures, ILS approach procedures, and arrival and departure procedures. SVT is available immediately for King Air 200/B200 owners and is an optional upgrade.

Standard features of the G1000 avionics suite include Class-B terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), dual integrated solid-state attitude and heading reference systems (AHRS), and dual integrated digital air data computers. The King Air 200/B200 STC also includes Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) support. This will allow aircraft to fly more optimum profiles, gain fuel savings and increase airspace capacity. Available as an option is Garmin ChartView™ that overlays the aircraft’s position on an electronic version of Jeppesen’s charts and airport diagrams.

Thanks to the G1000’s lightweight and modular design, the King Air 200/B200’s G1000 installation results in a weight savings of approximately 200 pounds.   King Air owners interested in this panel upgrade should contact an authorized G1000 retrofit dealer for an installation quote and to place an order. 
 

*According to Canalys report for sat nav sales made in 2009

About Garmin
The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – 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 Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information visit Garmin's media centre at http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.  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. 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 26, 2009 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). 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.
xxxx

Garmin® round up their sport personalities of 2010

As we celebrate another year of sports personalities, Garmin, the global leader in satellite navigation, looks back at the people using a variety of Garmin products to excel in their chosen sports.

The first woman to sail around the world solo, non-stop; Dee Caffari has used a range of Garmin marine equipment to help her train for the Barcelona world race setting off on the 31st December 2011.

Team Garmin Transitions have had a great year with the Edge 500 aiding in training and the launch of the Edge® 800. Highlights include Dan Martin winning the tour of Poland and the Japan Cup, Tyler Farrar won the final stage in the Vuelta a España and the 2nd stage of the Giro d’ Italia and David Zabriskie won the 3rd stage in California.
Look out for Team Garmin- Cervelo next year!

Steve Noujam Broke a world record by flying from London to Capetown and back again in 3 days 11 hours and 15 minutes with the help of his kit built plane installed with a G900TM.

Alistair Brownlee stormed ahead of an elite field in Athlone to win his first European title; European triathlon champion. His brother Jonathon won the world sprint triathlon championships and world U23 championships. They both train with the Forerunner® 110.
Tim Don was lucky enough to achieve a career goal by winning the much-coveted Hy-Vee Elite Cup in Des Moines, Idaho, USA. He won the biggest pay check in the triathlon calendar; $200,000. Tim trains with a Forerunner 310xt.   
And finally the  Saracens, reached the premiership final in May, now training with the new Forerunner 410, we look forward to following their progress in 2011.

A big well done to not only our ambassadors but everyone who has braved the British weather to keep active this year – Garmin hope to  continue helping people reach their potential in 2011 with new and  innovative products.

 

About Garmin
The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – 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 Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information visit Garmin's media centre at http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.  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. 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 factos listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2009 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). 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.
xxxx

The first traffic avoidance service from Garmin for Eire

Garmin, the global leader in satellite navigation, now offers subscription free premium traffic alerts for Dublin and surrounding areas. This includes vital delay and severity information - reducing the time you spend sitting in traffic.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Garmin is excited to be one of the first companies offering traffic avoidance information in Ireland.  This follows closely behind Garmin’s other first: the introduction of Loc8 postcodes which are free-to-create location codes that work like a postcode to make finding addresses more accurate.

For our valued customers we are also offering this service as a free download for a limited time, so those that already have a traffic receiver for receiving traffic in other countries can simply add the Irish traffic service for free.  Traffic can be avoided with an integrated FM traffic receiver and the subscription-free, pan-European lifetime traffic updates.

Receive alerts about traffic delays and roadwork’s on your route, get the latest information on  construction, accidents, road-dangers, lane closures, work in progress, delays and other obstructions that lie ahead. You can use your compatible Garmin to conveniently route around traffic and avoid delays – making driving safer, saving you drive time and money.  Your Garmin will simply detour around the problem area or touch the screen on nüvi® to view traffic details.

Existing customers with compatible devices will be able to download the service for free on garmin.ie/traffic until 31st January 2011, after this date this service will be included on all new “T” devices distributed in Ireland, just look for the ‘ Includes Irish traffic’ logo on the box.
To get hold of a ‘T’ unit please visit garmin.ie or your usual Garmin retailer. For more information on Garmin in Ireland and to purchase traffic receivers please visit garmin.ie/traffic

About Garmin
The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – 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 Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information visit Garmin's media centre at http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.  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. 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 26, 2009 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). 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.
xxxx

Geocaching free for all: Garmin® launches OpenCaching.com

The global leader in satellite navigation*, Garmin, has today announced today announced the creation of OpenCaching.com, a completely free  online community for creating, sharing and finding geocaches around the world. An exciting and engaging outdoor activity, geocaching combines exploration, education, entertainment and recreation. At OpenCaching.com, everyone can enjoy all of the caches and helpful information – the tips, descriptions, previous attempts, mass downloads, etc. – for free.

“Garmin is extending its reputation for ease of use even further into geocaching, creating the most intuitive experience possible,” said Andrew Silver, Outdoor and Fitness Product Manager. “By making it free and easy to download every detail of every cache, Opencaching.com will introduce more people to this great activity and show them just how fun, easy and rewarding it can be. OpenCaching.com gives us a chance to go beyond the development of hardware and software and interact directly with the vibrant global community of cachers.”

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt where participants of all ages explore the outdoors, hiding and finding containers of various shapes and sizes that are filled with collectables, trinkets and logbooks for signing in and letting fellow cachers know you were there. Creating a cache consists of placing a container in a public area, saving the GPS coordinates and uploading them to a website. Finding a cache is as simple as searching the website and downloading those details to a GPS handheld. As free and open as the great outdoors, OpenCaching.com was created to help promote the growth of geocaching and build the worldwide community of cachers.

The Awesome Factor

Continuing Garmin’s role as an innovator within the geocaching community, OpenCaching.com gives creators and seekers alike a way to quantify the “Awesomeness” of any given cache. While every cache has its enjoyable elements that make it unique, everyone has personal favorites that defy traditional descriptions. For that reason, OpenCaching.com lets users rank the Awesomeness in addition to size, terrain and difficulty. These four factors are displayed in a “bulls-eye” illustration for each cache, giving geocachers a unique and vivid idea of the fun that lies ahead. And cachers themselves can rate these factors, turning the bulls-eye illustration into a true representation of peer reviews.

Open to everyone

The strength of OpenCaching.com lies within the geocaching community, from diehard cachers to families and classrooms trying it for the first time (for which there is an informative how-to guide included on the site). Everyone – regardless of experience or numbers of caches found or placed – is welcome to the same information and invited to get as involved as they want. OpenCaching.com will work with any device or software package that can read GPX files, regardless of manufacturer.

“Because OpenCaching is brand new, we’re counting on cachers everywhere to get creative and get involved,” said Andrew Silver. “We want everyone who posts, seeks and finds a cache to have the pride of ownership in this new site, and there’s no better way than to build it together. As the word gets out about OpenCaching, we expect the number of caches posted to grow quickly.”

Through the recent announcements of OpenCaching.com and the chirp™ wireless geocaching beacon, geocachers around the world now have exciting new tools to unleash the potential of their creativity. Garmin is just one of countless businesses – large and small, corporate and self-owned – that make up the interdependent geocaching ecosystem. From collectables to events to software such as mobile, web-based and desktop applications, these creative collaborations stimulate ideas and enthusiasm. Garmin’s goal is to provide even more support and opportunities to the various innovators involved in this global activity.

For cachers who have created or found caches elsewhere, Garmin designed OpenCaching’s cache code system to seamlessly coexist and integrate with other databases, devices and applications. Also, developers can access the OpenCaching.com database through an API, and cache owners can share their information on other sites through the Creative Commons license. Cachers can quickly get credit for cross-listed caches found on other sites and easily add existing caches they own to OpenCaching.com, where they can also be tagged and enhanced with more helpful information.

A legacy of innovation

Since geocaching first began, Garmin has embraced the role of innovator and leader. Garmin was the first company to offer open and closed treasure chest icons on the screen of the device. Garmin devices featured the first dedicated application with the “Geocaching compass,” and the direct “Send to GPS” function started with Garmin. In considering the environment – and ease of use – the industry leader introduced paperless geocaching for increased efficiency and decreased waste as users could see descriptions and helpful hints right on the screen of the device instead of relying on numerous printouts for each cache.

Garmin’s recently announced chirp wireless beacon is the latest breakthrough in geocaching. Affordable, durable and waterproof, chirp can communicate with, and be programmed by, any compatible wireless-enabled Garmin handheld for a more interactive and enjoyable geocaching experience. Cache creators and seekers alike will enjoy the benefits as chirp stores hints, transmits multicache coordinates, counts visitors and confirms the cache is nearby.

Garmin has spent more than 20 years developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ lives, becoming a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. For more about Garmin’s products and services, go to www.garmin.co.uk

*According to Canalys report for sat nav sales made in 2009

 

About Garmin
The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – 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 Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information visit Garmin's media centre at http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.  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. 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 26, 2009 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). 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.

Free software update for GPSMAP® 700 series

The global leader in satellite navigation*, Garmin, is pleased to offer an unmissable free software update for GPSMAP® 700 series allowing mariners to overlay vital radar data directly on top of charts.

Benefits of this free software include added Radar Overlay display functionality which draws returns from connected Garmin GMRTM radar over either a Navigation Chart or Fishing Chart presentation. For the best Radar overlay experience Garmin recommends using a magnetic heading sensor.

The software update also gives mariners the added option to overlay radar returns on 3D charts, the added ability to measure distances on radar displays (in the same way this can be done on 2D charts) and a depth log to the Sonar functions.

NMEA 2000® engines and tanks with pre-defined names can now be labelled, analogue display options for tank levels, rudder angle, trim tabs, bow tabs, and engine trim have all been added with an additional option to display individual engine fuel flow rate and fuel economy numbers on the numbers dashboard gauges page and in overlay numbers.

The free software update increases ease of use further by incorporating higher-resolution system fonts for improved presentation and readability.

To get the free update simply go to www.garmin.com/uk/products/marine-products/  and select ‘Chartplotters’ then ‘GPSMAP 750’. Click on ‘software’ from the menu on the right and follow the instructions to download the update onto an SD card.

*According to Canalys report for sat nav sales made in 2009

About Garmin
The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – 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 Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information visit Garmin's media centre at http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.  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. 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 26, 2009 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). 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.

Garmin to Open Office in the Netherlands

Garmin, the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the forming of a new Netherlands subsidiary with the intent of opening a new Garmin-owned office in the Netherlands at the start of January 2011. The new company, Garmin Nederland B.V., will take over for Garmin’s existing Dutch distributor, Sailtron, on the 3^rd January 2011. Sailtron will continue to act as Garmin’s distributor in the Netherlands until 31^st December 2010.

The decision to address the Dutch market directly was taken after extensive talks with Sailtron covering the potential market growth opportunities in the Netherlands. Garmin wishes to assure its existing customers that every effort will be made to expedite a smooth transition to the new Garmin office, which will be based in Eemnes.

Dan Bartel, VP Worldwide Sales and MD Garmin Europe, said: “Sailtron has helped to establish a Garmin foothold in the Netherlands.  We now believe the market is best served by a Garmin- owned office based in Eemnes, aligning with our strategy to strengthen Garmin’s presence in key European markets through vertical integration.” 

Garmin will market its full range of consumer products out of the Eemnes office (covering the automotive, outdoor, fitness and marine markets) in what is believed to be a growing market for satellite navigation related technologies.

Garmin’s new Managing Director in the Netherlands, Remco Flikweert, a veteran of 15 years in the GPS industry, said, “Garmin is the global leader in satellite navigation with a fantastic range of award winning products used by millions of people worldwide. Being asked to head up the new office is a great opportunity for me to ensure the Garmin brand continues to grow and prosper in the Netherlands.”

 

About Garmin
The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – 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 Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information visit Garmin's media centre at http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. 

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. 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 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 26, 2010, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-Q is available 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.