We cannot often talk about a single company that has utterly transformed and positively impacted an entire industry. This month, we do just that.
Rich Pickett discusses Garmin’s latest safety features, including the certification of Runway Occupancy Awareness (ROA), the first certified software solution utilizing the Surface Indications and Alert (SURF-IA) technology.
A few highlights:
- Runway Occupancy Awareness (ROA) provides enhanced situational awareness in the busy airport environment to help avoid runway incursions.
- ROA technology analyzes aircraft GPS and ADS-B traffic information relevant to the airport’s runways and taxiways to assess and alert the crew of a possible runway incursion or collision.
- Textron Aviation received the initial certification of ROA on the Cessna Caravan.
- ROA is initially available on Garmin integrated flight decks ranging from G1000 NXi to G5000 equipped aircraft.
In addition to the ROA announcement, Garmin co-founders Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao were inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) on September 14th at the 60th annual enshrinement ceremony in Dayton, Ohio.
The NAHF honors individuals whose groundbreaking contributions have shaped the world of flight. Dr. Kao continues to serve Garmin as Executive Chairman of the Board, and the late Gary Burrell’s servant leadership and dedication to excellence remains foundational to the company today. Under their leadership, Garmin developed a wide array of products and technologies that advanced modern aviation safety and capabilities, including navigation, communications, flight controls and sensor systems.
Gary and Min’s enshrinement coincides with Garmin’s 35th anniversary.
I feel lucky to remember flying without GPS. My pre-GPS background enables me to truly appreciate every groundbreaking feature and safety benefit Garmin packs into its systems. ROA is just a continuation of Garmin’s leadership, prioritizing safety through situational awareness and intuitive interfaces.
Congratulations to our friends in Olathe. Your innovations keep us safer so we can continue flying.