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Lecture 9-Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS)

The document discusses a Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) which alerts pilots if their aircraft is dangerously close to terrain. It was developed to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain accidents. The GPWS uses radar altimetry to monitor altitude and rate of descent, and provides visual and audio warnings to pilots if hazardous terrain proximity is detected. It monitors for issues like excessive descent rates, closure rates with terrain, and unsafe under-terrain clearances based on aircraft configuration.

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andres felipe sandoval porras
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145 views15 pages

Lecture 9-Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS)

The document discusses a Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) which alerts pilots if their aircraft is dangerously close to terrain. It was developed to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain accidents. The GPWS uses radar altimetry to monitor altitude and rate of descent, and provides visual and audio warnings to pilots if hazardous terrain proximity is detected. It monitors for issues like excessive descent rates, closure rates with terrain, and unsafe under-terrain clearances based on aircraft configuration.

Uploaded by

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

Ground Proximity
Warning System
(GPWS)
What is GPWS?

Home
• A Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) is a
Previous 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 aircraft
Home
from the ground.
Previous
• GPWS computer analyzed
the information from radar.
Next
• Computer can identify
hazardous situations (very
Help
close to ground/terrain,
(RA) rapid ROD & loss of altitude)
• GPWS display gives visual
and audio warning signals to
the pilot.

What is the different between radar


altimeter and barometric altimeter?
How GPWS Works?

Home • A GPWS monitors the aircraft's altitude with a Radar Altimeter, which
transmits radio waves downward from the plane to determine how far
Previous away the ground is.
• Most radar altimeters carried by commercial aircraft are short-range
Next devices with ranges of less than a mile (about 1.6 km).
• The information from the radar is monitored and analyzed by a computer
Help
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 rate”)


Next
– when closure rate with terrain is too
Help 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 Terrain Closure
Next
terrain is too high. terrain” up, pull up”
Rate
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.
– if the aircraft is too low and slow, with landing gear retracted (not
Help
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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