Page 24 - TTFebruary2018

Carl Wolf (left) with James Lovell, commander of the Apollo 13 by Rebecca Groom Jacobs
WHO:
Carl Wolf
Garmin International
HOMEBASE:
Olathe, KS
POSITION:
Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Aviation Business Segment
RATINGS:
ATP, single and multi-engine land
HOURS:
5,000+
If you’ve worked in the business aviation industry for a few decades, chances are you know Carl Wolf. With a work ethic and energy bordering on legendary, Wolf has not only has enjoyed a successful career in aviation, he truly lives it. It would be difficult to find a person with more
knowledge and who emanates more enthusiasm and passion for the aviation industry than him. He has also had a hand in launching the careers of many current industry leaders.
After starting his career and working up to management roles at King Radio and AlliedSignal (now Honeywell), Wolf joined Garmin in 2002 as manager of aviation OEM sales. In this role, he led the Garmin team as the company launched its first integrated flight deck, the G1000. Since then, the company has grown to dominate not only the OEM general aviation market but the retrofit aftermarket landscape as well. He was appointed to his current role of vice president, aviation sales and marketing in October 2011.
1. Inyourcareer,you’vebeenonthefrontrowtosomeofthebiggesttechnologicalleaps in general aviation avionics. In your opinion, what developments have been the most impactful to how we fly?
Several come to mind, but certainly the transition to area navigation systems (RNAV) is near the top of the list. With that advancement, pilots could plot their course on a Jeppesen RNAV en route chart, input the cardinal radials and distances into the RNAV system, and off they go – direct! At the time, we thought what could possibly top this? Now, the world of navigation has dramatically improved further with satellite-based navigation. I will never forget reactions to the first “space-based” approaches using zero land-based NAVAIDS. People were spellbound. Finally, database administration gets an honorable mention. Long gone are the days of floppy disks and data cards. Recently, with the proper equipment, the process can be done wirelessly with nearly no human interaction at all.
22 • TWIN & TURBINE
February 2018