Garmin International told its dealers this week that the GNS480 GPS navigator will be discontinued due to declining sales, a development many owners had feared. Compared to Garmin’s mega-selling GNS430 and 530 series navigators, the 480 sold in fractional numbers. But according to our sister magazine, Aviation Consumer, the product had a small but loyal following due to its unique flight management system-like capabilities, including a database with airways as a route option. Garmin acquired what was then the CNX80 when it bought UPSAT in 2003. UPSAT developed the technology for the first WAAS-capable navigators for light-aircraft GA and the CNX80 was WAAS ready long before Garmin’s bigger selling boxes were. However, once the WAAS-capable GNS430W and 530W became available, CNS480 sales tanked. Garmin’s Jessica Myers told AVweb that Garmin will continue to support both the CNX80 and GNS480 for “years and years,” but that no new units will be sold once existing stock is gone, which is likely to be in 2008.
Garmin’s GNS480 Becomes An Orphan
Key Takeaways:
- Garmin is discontinuing the GNS480 GPS navigator due to low sales compared to its more popular GNS430 and 530 series.
- Despite lower sales, the GNS480 had a loyal following for its advanced flight management system-like features, including airways database routing.
- The GNS480's technology originated from UPSAT, acquired by Garmin in 2003, and was notable for early WAAS capability.
- Garmin will continue supporting existing GNS480 and CNX80 units for many years, but no new units will be sold after current stock is depleted (expected in 2008).
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