Garmin GTS 820

Garmin's release of the GTS family of ADS-B enhanced Traffic Advisory Systems (TAS) and Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) were a welcome addition to an already comprehensive list of avionics components. Each of the systems are suited to a specific range of aircraft and budget/performance preferences, meaning there is sure to be a system suitable for your own aircraft. All of the GTS systems are suitable for operation up to 50,000 feet, removing any low altitude limits that some other TAS/TCAS systems suffer with.

The GTS 820 itself is best suited for General Aviation single and twin-engine aircraft, providing the ability to track up to 60 different targets simultaneously. Up to 30 intruder threats can be displayed, depending on the panel instrument that your Garmin TAS will work with. Clear voice alerts are also incorporated into the system, informing you of the position, altitude and distance of an intruder into your airspace.

A typical GTS 820 installation will incorporate the fitting of both top-mount directional and optional bottom-mount antennas to your aircraft. These antennas will maximise the surveillance capabilities of the aircraft around you, and minimize any target drop-outs during manoeuvres. A 4-channel GPA 65 power amplifier is also included with the GTS 820, boosting the performance of your antenna without adding an excessive drain to your power consumption.