Garmin co-founders Dr Min Kao and the late Gary Burrell have been welcomed to the prestigious US National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF).

The annual awards ceremony recognises air and space pioneers for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the aviation and aerospace industry.

The Class of 2024 were chosen by a voting body comprised of over 130 aviation professionals.

“Gary Burrell and Min Kao co-founded Garmin in 1989 with a strong desire to enrich the lives of customers by bringing GPS technology to a broad range of markets, with a particular emphasis on aviation,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin President and CEO.

“They pioneered numerous award-winning products that brought disruptive innovation to the aviation industry. The innovation they championed nearly 35 years ago is foundational to Garmin’s success today as a leading global provider of avionics and active-lifestyle products.”

Garmin pioneers

Tom Lodge, chair of the NAHF Board of Nominations, added: “We are delighted with the exceptional caliber of this year’s inductees, and we eagerly anticipate their induction next autumn. The Class of 2024 within the NAHF embodies the very essence of excellence in aviation.”

Dr Kao continues to serve as Garmin’s executive chairman. Under both men’s 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.

Notable achievements include, in 1994, the Garmin GPS 155 which became 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 from takeoff to touchdown using no ground-based navigation aids.
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