Humes McCoy Aviation Shares the Ultimate Guide to EGPWS Basics

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(Newswire.net — June 4, 2020) —

Regardless of where you are flying or who you are flying with, you trust that the aircraft you are in is entirely up to safety code. Part of the aviation code includes having the proper tools to navigate the plane as efficiently and safely as possible.

 

Humes McCoy Aviation, Inc. offers private, reliable, and easily accessible means for your flying needs. Founded by veterans of the U.S. Air Force in early 2000, Humes McCoy Aviation instills the constant values of military ethics along with the availability of a streamlined travel and cargo solution.

 

When it comes to safety, including EGPWS basics, Humes McCoy Aviation has the answers. Below, the company’s partners who are aircraft experts outline the ultimate guide to the beginnings of EGPWS.

 

What is EGPWS?

 

EGPWS, or Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems, are modern units attached to the aircraft GPS for position, altitude, course, and speed. The majority of airline and commuter planes host EGPWS. This warning system decreases the possibility of aircraft crashes on land by supplying quick and correct data concerning barriers and terrain during the flight course. EGPWS utilizes aircraft inputs and an internal database to forecast and alert pilots of potential obstacles in the area that could intrude on a smooth flight. This system has a nonvolatile flash memory that continuously stores data during a course.

 

Once solely intended to separate system or runway database issues, the EGPWS is now a key factor during aviation safety investigations.

 

EGPWS Functionality

 

What does the EGPWS functionality look like in real-time? EGPWS assists aircraft crew with its Terrain Look-Ahead Alerting feature. When the system’s terrain database sets forth an image that shows what is ahead of the aircraft, it is looking to see if the aircraft’s position, track, speed, or angle of the flight path corresponds with any potential objects of collision in its projected image.

 

This pairing method happens through the system’s look-ahead algorithms, and warning alerts are triggered if any means of terrain clashes with “ribbons” extended ahead of the plane. With a width starting at 1/4 nm and extending out at ±3º laterally, these ribbons protrude down, forward, then up to gather data.

 

Several factors influence when and where the EGPWS collects and projects vital information. The aircraft flight path position affects the look-down and up angles. The altitude of the plane, in regards to the closest or destination runway, directs the look-down distance. The speed of the aircraft, along with its location in the interval between destinations, governs the look-ahead range. Considering the location of the plane from runways helps eliminate unneeded warnings when ascending or descending.

 

When obstruction of concern appears during a flight, that specific barrier collides with the ribbon, and the EGPWS sets off its caution lights along with its audial warning. Depending on terrain or obstacle, the warning message might say, “CAUTION TERRAIN, CAUTION TERRAIN,” “TERRAIN AHEAD, TERRAIN AHEAD,” “CAUTION OBSTACLE, CAUTION OBSTACLE,” or “OBSTACLE AHEAD, OBSTACLE AHEAD.” This warning message is usually played sixty seconds before coming into contact with the intrusion, and it continues to sound every seven seconds long as the obstacle is still the way.

 

About Humes McCoy Aviation

 

Humes McCoy Aviation is a 19-year aviation service company that helps their clients escape the hassle of travel planning while giving them the ease and reliability of a name they can trust.