Patent ID: 8234020

Claim:
A system for generating an alert signal in an aircraft system, said system comprising: at least one source of input factor data; a source of terrain data comprised of a forward-looking radar system configured to acquire terrain data representative of a terrain surface; an alert processor configured to receive input factor data representative of at least first input factors representative of information corresponding to the current geographic position and attitude of an aircraft in flight, a second input factor representative of information corresponding to the nearest airport from the current geographic position of the aircraft, and a third input factor representative of information corresponding to the current altitude of the aircraft; determine a phase of flight and flight attitude parameter based upon the first input factors, the second input factor, and the third input factor; receive terrain data from the forward-looking radar system, where the terrain data is representative of a terrain surface; define a terrain clearance surface and at least one aircraft terrain alert surface, where the terrain clearance surface is defined as a first function of the terrain surface, and each aircraft terrain alert surface is defined as a second function of at least one criterion programmed to include at least one fourth input factor, where either the first function or the second function includes the phase of flight and flight attitude parameter; generate a terrain alert signal if the terrain clearance surface penetrates an aircraft terrain alert surface; and provide the terrain alert signal to a crew alerting system; and the crew alerting system configured to receive the terrain alert signal.