Patent ID: 6347263
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: G01C,G05D,G08G

Abstract:
An aircraft terrain warning system for providing a warning to the pilot when terrain proximate to the aircraft penetrates a predetermined terrain warning envelope, the warning system comprising:a terrain data base storing terrain data representative of terrain elevations and one or more predetermined reference points for one or more predetermined geographical areas; and a warning generator coupled to said terrain data base and receiving signals representative of the position, altitude and flight path of the aircraft and generating a warning envelope extending a predetermined distance in front of the aircraft, a first segment of said warning envelope extending downwardly from a current position and altitude of the aircraft as a predetermined function of the distance of the aircraft to a predetermined reference point and a second segment of said warning envelope defined by the greater of said flight path of the aircraft and a datum defined by a predicted pull-up of the aircraft, said warning generator generating a warning signal when terrain is determined to penetrate said warning envelope.