Story ID: 
Garmin Wins STC for Helo Taws
By: Stephen Pope
Caption: Garmin has received FAA STC approval for its helicopter terrain awareness and warning system for the GNS  430W/530W GPS/navcoms.
Word Count: 144
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.