Don't Mute Aural TAWS Alerts, FAA Warns Pilots

Some accidents could have been avoided if pilots had not turned off the terrain avoidance and warning system, FAA said.

Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 01:13 PM ET

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TAWS pulls aircraft position, speed, and direction data from GPS and, along with the aircraft's altitude and configuration information, compares them to a database of Earth's terrain and manmade obstacles. [Illustration by Bryan Christie Design]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA issued a warning to pilots, urging them not to disable Terrain Avoidance and Warning Systems (TAWS) aural alerts, highlighting their critical role in preventing Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents.
While pilots may disable TAWS due to perceived nuisance alerts, this action has been a contributing factor in fatal CFIT accidents, underscoring the system's vital safety function despite its occasional distractions.
The FAA emphasizes the risks associated with disabling TAWS and recommends that operators review and enhance their training programs to ensure proper procedures for using the TAWS terrain inhibit feature are adequately addressed.

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The FAA sent a notice to pilots warning them not to disable terrain avoidance and warning systems (TAWS) aural alerts as the tool can be a critical safety feature in avoiding controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents.

The FAA’s warning came as part of an Information for Operators (InFO)—a notice designed to help operators meet certain administrative or regulatory requirements with a low sense of urgency or impact on safety.