Story ID: 2021413alerts
Garmin Unveils Its First Radar Altimeter
By: Matt Thurber
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Word Count: 163
Garmin unveiled its first radar altimeter–the GRA 5500–yesterday. An all-digital design that employs digital signal processing technology, the GRA 5500 already holds FAA TSO authorization and is available immediately, at a retail price of $13,995 (without antenna).

Several OEMs have already selected the GRA 5500 for upcoming aircraft, including the latest versions of the Cessna Citation X, Sovereign, and the new Citation Latitude and Longitude and Bell Helicopter’s 525 Relentless.

The GRA 5500 communicates over a standard Arinc 429 interface, allowing the radar altimeter to work on a variety of Garmin integrated flight decks and displays and third-party products as well as meeting radar altimeter requirements for Class A Taws, Category II ILS operations and Tcas II/Acas II.

According to Garmin, the new technology allows the GRA 5500 “to provide smooth altitude tracking, resulting in a consistent and highly accurate altitude above ground indication, even over the most challenging environments like rough terrain, tree canopies, sand and choppy water.”