Presented to: By: Date: Federal Aviation Administration Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Glenn W. Michael Air Traffic Manager, Boston ARTCC Asian Regional Aviation Safety Team (ARAST), Bangkok, Thailand

Federal Aviation Administration 2 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Objective Attendees should gain an understanding of: –Background of Minimum Safe Altitude Warning –Hazard of Controlled Flight Into Terrain –ICAO governing documents –Ground Proximity Warning Systems –MSAW ATC Procedures –MSAW Development

Federal Aviation Administration 3 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 MSAW Course Overview Safety – Risk Management – Mitigation – Risk Assessment GASR (Global Aviation Safety Roadmap) CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) ICAO efforts to prevent CFIT EGPWS (Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems)

Federal Aviation Administration 4 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Overview (cont) A general overview of MSAW Accident Investigations Air Traffic Control procedures and MSAW MSAW Development

Federal Aviation Administration 5 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 The safety enhancement system remains highly dependent on –human performance –especially in the cockpit –at the air traffic controller station –and with those charged with enforcing and monitoring standard operating procedures and best practices and procedures

Federal Aviation Administration 6 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 As Former FAA Administrator Blakey said, "We need to change one of the biggest historical characteristics of aviation safety improvements— our reactive nature. We must get in front of accidents, anticipate them, and use hard data to detect problems and disturbing trends."

Federal Aviation Administration 7 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 “Mitigation” (System Defenses) The measures taken or proposed to eradicate the hazard or to reduce the probability or the severity of a risk.

Federal Aviation Administration 8 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008

Federal Aviation Administration 9 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Order of Precedence for Hazard Mitigation Modify the system – design the hazard out Physical guards or barriers – prevent the risk from occurring Warning or alert signal Procedural and training change Advise people – placards, notices, brief all pilots, etc.

Federal Aviation Administration 10 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) A controlled-flight-into-terrain (CFIT) accident is one in which an otherwise serviceable aircraft, under the control of the crew, is flown (unintentionally) into terrain, obstacles or water, with no prior awareness on the part of the crew of the impending collision

Federal Aviation Administration 11 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Ground Based Prevention of CFIT ATC Safety Net What ground-based intervention would have prevented the accident? –A–Automated tools provide the means for ATC to strengthen overall defenses against CFIT –M–Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW)

Federal Aviation Administration 12 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning A function designed solely as a controller aid in detecting potentially unsafe aircraft proximity to terrain/obstructions Generates and alert to the controller when a pilot is below, or is predicted to be below, a specified altitude Must be adapted specifically for each RADAR system

Federal Aviation Administration 13 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (cont) Types of MSAW Processing –General Terrain Monitoring –Approach Path Monitoring

Federal Aviation Administration 14 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (cont) General Terrain Monitoring –Current Alarm Presently less than 500 feet above terrain map –Prediction Alarm Pilot will be less than 500 feet above terrain map within 30 seconds –Projection Alarm Pilot will be unable to clear all obstacles within eight minutes flying time on present course at a five degree climb angle

Federal Aviation Administration 15 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (cont) Approach Path Monitor –Current Pilot is currently below the calculated APM alarm slope altitude –Prediction Pilot is predicted to be 100 feet below the calculated APM alarm slope altitude within the next 15 seconds

MSAW Approach Path Monitoring Runway Glideslope Path 1 nm Alarm Trigger Area (100´ below glideslope path)

Federal Aviation Administration 17 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 MSAW: Safety-Critical? FAA: Safe operation of aircraft is ultimately pilots’ responsibility. –MSAW is an aid to AT controllers –MSAW only ground-based CFIT barrier

Federal Aviation Administration 18 Minimum Safe Altitude Warning November 19, 2008 MSAW Procedures and phraseology –ICAO order Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM) Document 4444 –Chapter 15 Para Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) Procedures