Garmin has received FAA STC approval for its helicopter terrain awareness and warning system for the GNS 430W/530W GPS/navcoms. The HTaws is available immediately as an option on newly purchased systems or as a field upgrade for current owners. Garmin’s HTaws has forward-looking terrain avoidance ­capability with visual and aural advisories to keep pilots informed of hazardous terrain and obstacles. It incorporates a five-color terrain scale (red, orange, yellow, green
and black), and gives voice callouts when the ­aircraft is descending below 500 feet. Voice ­callouts operate in all HTaws modes, and Garmin’s technology allows the pilot to select ­multiple callouts, in 100-foot intervals, descending from 500 to 100 feet agl. Meanwhile, in ­partnership with Rotorcraft Services Group, Garmin also obtained STC approval for installation of the Garmin G500H glass cockpit in the Eurocopter AS350B2, AS350B3 and EC130B4 helicopters.