GROUND PROXIMITY
WARNING SYSTEM
GPWS
Korean Airlines Boeing 747 CFIT while
attempting to land in heavy rain: 228 of
254 killed (Aug. 6, 1997) GPWS equipped
Realvideo animation of Flight 801 descent
CFIT
Controlled flight into terrain.
Prior to the widespread implementation of
GPWS, CFIT was an all too common
occurrence.
CFIT accidents involve a normally operating
aircraft which contacts the ground due to loss of
situational awareness, or other pilot error.
GPWS has greatly reduced the number of these
incidents.
GPWS
GPWS is a system developed to help
prevent CFIT accidents.
In the event of a loss of situational
awareness by the crew GPWS is a last
resort lifeline to warn of approaching
terrain.
The pilots are alerted through aural and
visual warnings and in the case of
EGPWS a visual display.
HOW IT WORKS
The heart of the GPWS is a computer
processor which interprets data from a
number of sources:
Radar altimeter
Air data computer
UHF Nav receiver
Gear and flap indicating system
Roll attitude input sensor
HOW IT WORKS
The computer analyzes a number of
parameters including aircraft configuration,
speed, proximity to terrain, and descent
rate in order to issue appropriate
warnings.
If the aircraft is in landing configuration at
approach speed and approaching the
ground it is deemed a warning is
unnecessary.
AURAL WARNINGS
Some typical GPWS warnings are:
SINK RATE
TERRAIN, TERRAIN
DONT SINK
TOO LOW, TERRAIN
TOO LOW GEAR
PULL UP
These aural warnings will be accompanied by
illumination of a GPWS annunciator.
In the event of a PULL UP warning a recovery
procedure must be initiated.
MODE 1
Warns of excessive descent rate.
If the aircraft is less than 2500AGL, as
determined by the radar altimeter, and is
losing altitude too quickly.
A GPWS warning light will illuminate and
sink rate, sink rate will be heard.
If the situation is not corrected whoop,
whoop, pull up, pull up will be heard.
MODE 2
Warns crew when closure rate with terrain
is too high.
Designed to warn crew when rising terrain
is a threat.
terrain, terrain
whoop, whoop, pull up, pull up
There may be no change in barometric
altitude but the radar altitude is
decreasing.
MODE 3
Warns of loss of altitude after take-off, or
go-around.
Within the first 1000 AGL if the aircraft
starts to sink rather than climb.
If the aircraft sinks 10 percent of its radar
altitude dont sink will be heard.
MODE 4
MODE 4a: if the aircraft is too low and slow, with
landing gear retracted.
too low, gear
If the airspeed is higher the warning will be too
low, terrain
MODE 4b: When the gear is selected down, but
the flaps are still retracted too low, flaps
This warning can be canceled by the pilot in the
event of a flapless landing.
MODE 5
Warns the crew of glideslope deviations.
When the aircraft receives a valid
glideslope and sinks two dots below
glideslope will be heard.
The warning will continue with increasing
intensity if the problem is not corrected.
This warning may be canceled by the pilot.
RECOVERY PROCEDURE
Recovery procedure will vary depending on the
type of aircraft, but the general response is:
Roll level and simultaneously set maximum power.
Slowly pitch up and maintain Vx.
Retract gear and flaps.
Continue climb until clear of terrain.
NOTE: in VMC conditions terrain may be
avoided visually.
ADVISORY CALLOUTS
GPWS is capable of advisory callouts as
an aid to normal operations:
GLIDESLOPE two dots below glideslope
FIVE HUNDRED 500 AGL on non-precision
approach
MINIMUMS, MINIMUMS upon reaching
radar altimeter selected decision height.
EGPWS
Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning
System
A limitation of GPWS is the fact that with
radar altimeter information only the aircraft
is only capable of seeing terrain directly
below.
In the case of rapidly rising terrain it may
not react quick enough to issue a warning
in time.
EGPWS corrects this problem by integrating an
aircraft navigational source into the system.
GPS position in conjunction with a terrain
database is used to help predict terrain conflict.
Any catalogued man made obstructions are
included in the database.
This type of system can be used to display
terrain profile to the pilot to improve situational
awareness.
