Ground Proximity Warning system

Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) is a system designed to alert pilots if their aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into the ground or an obstacle. Another common name for such a system is Ground-Collision Warning System (GCWS). More advanced systems, providing additional protection, are known as Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS). The EGPWS provided by Flight Gear emulates the MK VIII made by Honeywell Inc. It provides all inputs and outputs of the original hardware. Also the configuration categories and their encodings are modeled to match the original equipment. The system monitors an aircraft's height above ground as determined by a Radio Altimeter. A computer then keeps track of these readings, calculates trends, and will warn the captain with visual and audio messages if the aircraft is in certain defined flying configurations ("modes"). The modes are: 1. Excessive descent rate ("SINK RATE" "PULL UP")

2. Excessive terrain closure rate ("TERRAIN" "PULL UP")

3. Altitude loss after take off or with a high power setting ("DON'T SINK")

4. Unsafe terrain clearance ("TOO LOW TERRAIN" "TOO LOW GEAR" "TOO LOW FLAPS")

5. Excessive deviation below glideslope ("GLIDESLOPE")

6. Excessively steep bank angle ("BANK ANGLE")

7. Windshear protection ("WINDSHEAR")

System Operation:
The main component of the system is the GPWS computer. It receives information from other aircraft system (Baro/Rad Alt Ht, speed, etc.). From these

inputs, the computer makes calculation to determine if the aircraft is in danger of contacting the terrain below. GPWS only operates within the Rad Alt range (50 to 2500).

Ground Proximity Warning Computer

The GPWC establishes the limits for the GPWS modes and compares the aircrafts flight and terrain clearance status against established mode limits. If the aircraft is found to have entered a GPWS mode, the computer issues appropriate warning or alerting signals. The computer also stores failure data in a nonvolatile memory for display on a front panel window on the GPWC

GPWS Control Panel:

The GPWs control panel provides the flight crew with visual indication of GPWS operation; self-test capability and flap/gear inhibit capability INOP Amber INOP light is illuminated when a computer or input signal malfunction is detected or a GPWS self-test is being performed. Flap/Gear Inhibit This switch is a two-position toggle switch guarded and safety-wired in the normal position. When it is place in the INHIBIT position modes 2,3 and 4 are inhibited. Self Test Switch This switch is used to initiate a GPWS self test. A self test can be conducted on the ground or in flight.