Garmin Discontinues GNS 480

Garmin last month notified distributors that it has decided to discontinue production of the GNS 480 GPS/navcom receiver after a significant decline in sales of the WAAS-capable product as more customers migrate toward the Garmin GNS 430W/530W line of WAAS units. Garmin acquired the GNS 480 product when it purchased the assets of UPS Aviation Technologies in 2003. At the time, the unit was sold as the CNX-80 and praised for being among the first WAAS-approved GPS receivers on the market. Since then Garmin has obtained WAAS approvals for its GNS 430/530 products, which are more popular among pilots. Although GNS 480 production has ceased, Garmin said it is committed to supporting the thousands of units in service “for years to come.”