What is the primary purpose of GPWS Mode 4 alerts?

What is the primary purpose of GPWS Mode 4 alerts?

• A. To provide alert to protect against controlled flight into terrain
• B. To provide alert of wind shear
• C. To indicate stall
• D. To warn of terrain near takeoff path

Answer: (A)

GPWS Mode 4 is the warning that guards against controlled flight into terrain. It continuously analyzes the airplane’s current flight path against the terrain ahead and will emit an urgent alert if continuing the current trajectory could result in hitting terrain. The aim is to give a decisive cue to the crew to pull up and climb away before collision risk becomes real. This protective CFIT purpose applies across phases of flight, not just during takeoff or approach. Wind shear alerts come from different detection logic focused on wind shear conditions, stall indications come from angle-of-attack/airspeed sensors, and a terrain warning about the takeoff path is a narrower scenario that Mode 4 covers only as part of its broader CFIT protection.

GPWS Mode 4 is the warning that guards against controlled flight into terrain. It continuously analyzes the airplane’s current flight path against the terrain ahead and will emit an urgent alert if continuing the current trajectory could result in hitting terrain. The aim is to give a decisive cue to the crew to pull up and climb away before collision risk becomes real. This protective CFIT purpose applies across phases of flight, not just during takeoff or approach.

Wind shear alerts come from different detection logic focused on wind shear conditions, stall indications come from angle-of-attack/airspeed sensors, and a terrain warning about the takeoff path is a narrower scenario that Mode 4 covers only as part of its broader CFIT protection.