Avoiding Controlled Flight into Terrain, Obstacles and Wires

Based on the success of the fixed-wing TAWS, this paper briefly highlights the issues dealt with in fixed-wing CFIT and the correlation of using a TAWS solution to address rotorcraft CFIT. It also discusses the challenges and benefits of Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (HTAWS), and the operational reason and decisions made in the design of the leading HTAWS today. Taken together, the improvements over a conventional HTAWS system shows how a commercial, off-the-shelf HTAWS can successfully be installed in tactical helicopters with minimal modifications and reasonable costs to significantly reduce CFIT.