Recognition of Gary Burrell’s and Dr. Min Kao’s contributions to the aviation industry coincides with Garmin’s 35th anniversary
Garmin today announced the enshrinement of its co-founders Dr. Min Kao and the late Gary Burrell into the prestigious National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF). The honors took place at the 60th annual enshrinement ceremony at the National
Museum of the United States Air Force held September 14. The NAHF honors individuals whose groundbreaking contributions have shaped the world of flight.
“Thirty-five years ago, Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao founded Garmin with the strong belief that superior navigation and communications products could enrich and even save people’s lives. To truly honor their pioneering work and the foundation they laid for Garmin’s acclaimed products, there is no greater tribute than seeing them inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.” –Cliff Pemble, Garmin President and CEO
Dr. Kao continues to serve Garmin as Executive Chairman of the Board, and the late Gary Burrell’s servant leadership and dedication to excellence remains foundational to the company today. Under their leadership, Garmin developed a wide array of products and technologies that advanced modern aviation safety and capabilities, including navigation, communications, flight controls and sensor systems.
Noteworthy Garmin aviation innovations include:
- 1991: Garmin’s first aviation product, the GPS 100AVD, is introduced and is immediately regarded as the first panel-mounted GPS navigator accessible to the masses of general aviation.
- 1994: The Garmin GPS 155 becomes the world’s first certified GPS receiver to achieve FAA TSO-C129 Class A certification for instrument approaches, allowing pilots to fly instrument flight rules (IFR) from takeoff to touchdown using no ground-based navigation aids.
- 1998: The iconic GNS 430 and GNS 530 product family combines a panel-mounted GPS navigator with a color moving map, VHF navigation and communication becoming the industry standard for NAV/COM systems in the cockpit.
- 2004: G1000® integrated flight deck sets the standard for cockpit innovation and catapults Garmin to be the leading provider of integrated flight decks across a broad range of aircraft – from single-engine piston to advanced business jets.
- 2010: Garmin introduces the Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP™) system, the first in a series of Autonomí safety features that help pilots avoid loss of control accidents.
- 2020: Garmin receives the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for Garmin Autoland, the world’s first certified autonomous system that protects lives by activating during an emergency to control and land an aircraft without human intervention.
To learn more about the National Aviation Hall of Fame and its enshrinement ceremony, visit www.nationalaviation.org.
