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Lecture 9 Ground Proximity Warning System GPWS

The document discusses the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS), which warns pilots if their aircraft is at a dangerously low altitude to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain accidents. It functions by using a radar altimeter to monitor distance to ground and issues visual and audio warnings if hazardous rates of descent, terrain closure, loss of altitude after takeoff, or unsafe terrain clearance are detected. The GPWS has different warning modes to address specific situations.

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Catalin Raileanu
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185 views15 pages

Lecture 9 Ground Proximity Warning System GPWS

The document discusses the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS), which warns pilots if their aircraft is at a dangerously low altitude to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain accidents. It functions by using a radar altimeter to monitor distance to ground and issues visual and audio warnings if hazardous rates of descent, terrain closure, loss of altitude after takeoff, or unsafe terrain clearance are detected. The GPWS has different warning modes to address specific situations.

Uploaded by

Catalin Raileanu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 9:

Ground Proximity
Warning System
(GPWS)

By: Zuliana Ismail,2010


What is GPWS?

Home
• A Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) is
Previous a type of equipment carried by aircraft to warn
pilots if they are at a dangerously low altitude
Next
and in danger of crashing.
Help

The pilots are alerted through visual and audio


warnings by GPWS display inside cockpit.
Purpose of GPWS

Home
• The main purpose of these systems is to
Previous prevent what is called a Controlled Flight Into
Terrain (CFIT)
Next

• CFIT is an accident in which an aircraft crashes


Help
into the ground, the water, or an obstacle such
as a mountain or building .
CFIT= Controlled Flight Into Terrain

Home

Previous

Next

Help

Since 1960s, a series of Controlled Flight Into Terrain


(CFIT) accidents killed hundreds of people.
CFIT and GPWS

Home
• CFIT can be the result of factors such as navigation
Previous errors, pilot fatigue, or reduced visibility owing to
weather conditions.
Next
• CFIT incidents have been reduced since GPWS entered
Help widespread use in the 1970s.
• The use of a GPWS in large aircraft is required by law in
many countries.
• In the late 1990s improvements were made and the
system was renamed "Enhanced Ground Proximity
Warning System“ (EGPWS)
Visual Audio How GPWS Works?
• RA measures how far
Home
aircraft from the ground.
Previous • GPWS computer
analyzed the information
Next
from radar.
Help • Computer can identify
(RA) hazardous situations
(very close to
ground/terrain, rapid
ROD & loss of altitude)
• GPWS display gives
What is the different between radar
altimeter and barometric altimeter? visual and audio warning
signals to the pilot.
How GPWS Works?

Home • A GPWS monitors the aircraft's altitude with a Radar Altimeter,


which transmits radio waves downward from the plane to
Previous determine how far away the ground is.
• Most radar altimeters carried by commercial aircraft are short-
Next
range devices with ranges of less than a mile (about 1.6 km).
Help • The information from the radar is monitored and analyzed by a
computer that can identify hazardous situations and trends in the
data, such as
– a dangerously rapid rate of descent,
– dangerously close ground during, or
– unexpected loss of altitude.
• If hazardous conditions are detected, the GPWS gives visual and
audio warning signals to the pilot.
Radar Altimeter Vs
Barometric Altimeter
Home
What is the different between radar altimeter and
Previous barometric altimeter?
Next
• A Radar Altimeter (RA) measures the distance
between the plane and the ground directly
Help
below it.
• Barometric altimeter provides the distance
above sea level.
Audio & Visual Warning

Home
• Audio & Visual Warnings are provided
under any of the following conditions:
Previous

– Excessive rate of descend (“sink


Next
rate”)
Help – when closure rate with terrain is too
high (“terrain-terrain”)
– loss of altitude after take-off (don’t
sink)
– if the aircraft is too low and slow,
with landing gear retracted (“too
low, gear”)
GPWS Modes
MODE WARNING
Home
Mode 1: when Rate of “sink rate, “whoop, whoop, pull
Excessive Descent Rate. Descent(ROD) increase sink rate” up, pull up”
Previous rapidly
Mode 2: when closure rate with “terrain, “whoop, whoop, pull
Excessive
Next Terrain Closure Rate terrain is too high. terrain” up, pull up”

Help Mode 3: warn loss of altitude “don’t sink”


Descent after take-off after take-off.

Mode 4: Too low, landing “too low, terrain”


Unsafe Terrain Clearance gear/flap configuration. “too low, gear” too low, flaps”
Mode 5: Too low “Glideslope”
Descent below Glide Slope

Mode 6: Situation Awareness Bank Angle, Altitude “Minimums”


“Bank Angle”
Mode 7: Wind shear Information “Wind Shear”
MODE 1: Excessive Descent Rate..

Home
• Warns of excessive Rate of Descent(ROD)
Previous
• A GPWS warning light will illuminate and “sink
Next
rate, sink rate” will be heard.
Help
• If the situation is not corrected “whoop,
whoop, pull up, pull up” will be heard.
MODE 2: Excessive Terrain Closure Rate

Home
• Warns crew when closure rate with terrain is
Previous
too high.
• Designed to warn crew when rising terrain is a
Next
threat.
Help
• “terrain, terrain”
• “whoop, whoop, pull up, pull up”
• There may be no change in barometric altitude
but the radar altitude is decreasing.
• Recovery: Continue climb until clear of terrain.
MODE 3: Altitude Loss After Take-off

Home
• Warns of loss of altitude after take-off.
Previous
• If the aircraft sinks 10 percent of its radar
Next
altitude “don’t sink” will be heard.
Help
MODE 4: Unsafe Terrain Clearance

Home
• Terrain clearance while aircraft take-off, climb, cruise,
and descent.
Previous

– If the airspeed is higher the warning will be “too low, terrain”


Next
• Alert the configuration of landing gear during approach.
Help – if the aircraft is too low and slow, with landing gear retracted
(not open).
– “too low, gear”
• Alert the configuration of flaps during landing
– When the gear is selected down, but the flaps are still
retracted (not open)
– “too low, flaps”
Mode 5, 6, 7

Home
• Mode 5: Descent below Glide Slope
Previous
• Mode 6: Situation Awareness (Bank Angle,
Next Altitude)
Help
• Mode 7: Wind shear Information

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