Lecture 9:
Ground Proximity
Warning System
(GPWS)
By: Zuliana Ismail,2010
What is GPWS?
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• 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
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and in danger of crashing.
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The pilots are alerted through visual and audio
warnings by GPWS display inside cockpit.
Purpose of GPWS
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• The main purpose of these systems is to
Previous prevent what is called a Controlled Flight Into
Terrain (CFIT)
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• CFIT is an accident in which an aircraft crashes
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into the ground, the water, or an obstacle such
as a mountain or building .
CFIT= Controlled Flight Into Terrain
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Previous
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Since 1960s, a series of Controlled Flight Into Terrain
(CFIT) accidents killed hundreds of people.
CFIT and GPWS
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• CFIT can be the result of factors such as navigation
Previous errors, pilot fatigue, or reduced visibility owing to
weather conditions.
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• 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
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aircraft from the ground.
Previous • GPWS computer
analyzed the information
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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-
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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
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What is the different between radar altimeter and
Previous barometric altimeter?
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• A Radar Altimeter (RA) measures the distance
between the plane and the ground directly
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below it.
• Barometric altimeter provides the distance
above sea level.
Audio & Visual Warning
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• Audio & Visual Warnings are provided
under any of the following conditions:
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– Excessive rate of descend (“sink
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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
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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..
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• Warns of excessive Rate of Descent(ROD)
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• A GPWS warning light will illuminate and “sink
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rate, sink rate” will be heard.
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• If the situation is not corrected “whoop,
whoop, pull up, pull up” will be heard.
MODE 2: Excessive Terrain Closure Rate
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• Warns crew when closure rate with terrain is
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too high.
• Designed to warn crew when rising terrain is a
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threat.
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• “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
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• Warns of loss of altitude after take-off.
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• If the aircraft sinks 10 percent of its radar
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altitude “don’t sink” will be heard.
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MODE 4: Unsafe Terrain Clearance
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• Terrain clearance while aircraft take-off, climb, cruise,
and descent.
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– If the airspeed is higher the warning will be “too low, terrain”
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• 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
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• Mode 5: Descent below Glide Slope
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• Mode 6: Situation Awareness (Bank Angle,
Next Altitude)
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• Mode 7: Wind shear Information
