PMDG 777-300ER egpws terrain shows all green

[mustiej 0]

Hi guys,

 

I noticed after a clean install that my pmdg 7773er has all green terrain egpws display, is this livery option or did my install go back somewhere? Maybe it was always like this 😕

 

Pic: https://imgur.com/a/n4Kdotg

 

Any ideas?

[scandinavian13 5,192]

2 hours ago, mustiej said:

is this livery option or did my install go back somewhere?

Likely a livery option. Check the options for terrain in PEAKS mode or not.

It's not the EGPWS, btw - it's the terrain database. Separate functions.

EGPWS is what yells at you when you get too close to terrain, and calls out when you are approaching the ground in a landing config.

[mustiej 0]

8 minutes ago, scandinavian13 said:

Likely a livery option. Check the options for terrain in PEAKS mode or not.

It's not the EGPWS, btw - it's the terrain database. Separate functions.

EGPWS is what yells at you when you get too close to terrain, and calls out when you are approaching the ground in a landing config.

Oh, thanks! Didn't know that, I tried going through the settings looking for PEAKS mode since I've read that somewhere. Could you give me a detailed path to where to find it please?

[scandinavian13 5,192]

Just now, mustiej said:

Oh, thanks! Didn't know that, I tried going through the settings looking for PEAKS mode since I've read that somewhere. Could you give me a detailed path to where to find it please?

Not at my sim computer, but the Intro Manual (<sim root>\PMDG\777\Flight Manuals folder) describes all of it.

Hit CTRL+F and search for "peaks."

[mustiej 0]

1 minute ago, scandinavian13 said:

Not at my sim computer, but the Intro Manual (<sim root>\PMDG\777\Flight Manuals folder) describes all of it.

Hit CTRL+F and search for "peaks."

Didn't think of that, thanks!

[ps1flyer 9]

I've have tried to discuss exactly this topic (all-green EGPWS data on ND) before, about 5 years ago. See here for the original discussion:

https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/426243-a-couple-of-issues-with-egpws-terrain-display/?tab=comments#comment-2851640

I still believe that the EGPWS is not correctly modelled here, I have reason to believe that the EGPWS would not show all-green in real life. (I haven't seen any real life photo of EGPWS peaks mode showing this; besides the original patent by Honewell for EGPWS has a paragraph on hiding some information for essentially flat terrain.)

I have sent a 15-page report to PMDG support (including the other topics mentioned in the forum post linked above) back then but apparently they were never addressed.

 

Markus

 

[kevinh 409]

On 12/16/2018 at 2:35 AM, scandinavian13 said:

Likely a livery option. Check the options for terrain in PEAKS mode or not.

It's not the EGPWS, btw - it's the terrain database. Separate functions.

EGPWS is what yells at you when you get too close to terrain, and calls out when you are approaching the ground in a landing config.

That’s not correct. The terrain database is an integral part of the EGPWS. It’s what puts the E into EGPWS by enhancing GPWS functionality. 

[JRBarrett 3,071]

14 minutes ago, kevinh said:

That’s not correct. The terrain database is an integral part of the EGPWS. It’s what puts the E into EGPWS by enhancing GPWS functionality. 

Yes. The terrain database, terrain call outs, and RAAS functions are all contained in the EGPWS, which is typically a Honeywell Mark V, Mark VII or Mark 1A (if it has enhanced RAAS). Honeywell issues updates to the terrain, runway and obstacle database every two months, which is loaded into the EGPWS box using either a PCMCIA card or USB thumb drive, depending on the model.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

40 minutes ago, kevinh said:

That’s not correct. The terrain database is an integral part of the EGPWS. It’s what puts the E into EGPWS by enhancing GPWS functionality. 

True. My mistake.

[Ralgh 43]

I have seen this in areas that are very flat like Dallas. In the real planes I have flown (F100, 737, A320) this does not happen. You will see little spots of green here and there but not the entire screen. That being said I have no idea how it is deciding what it does and doesn't display so I can't make a suggestion on how to make the sim work more like real life. In the sim I usually just turn EGPWS off in areas like this since a terrain collision is unlikely anyway. 

Edited December 19, 2018 by Ralgh

[icaruss 18]

2 hours ago, kevinh said:

That’s not correct. The terrain database is an integral part of the EGPWS. It’s what puts the E into EGPWS by enhancing GPWS functionality. 

^^^^^^^^^

Exactly, is part of the reason of the enhanced capability.

[rcoultas 21]

Captains,

What am I missing here?

In the OP’s picture, of course the terrain is all green. The display is showing 014/011, indicating the highest terrain elevation is 1400’, and the lowest terrain elevation is 1100’ within the selected range of the aircraft. I don’t know what his altitude is (since his TAS is 482 kts, I’m assuming he’s fairly high), but the terrain color is dictated by the elevation of the terrain in relation to the altitude of the aircraft.

Very brief FCOM summary of EGPWS display:

Green (dotted): 2000’ to 500’ below the aircraft altitude.

Amber (dotted): 500’ below to 2000’ above aircraft altitude.

Red (dotted): more than 2000’ above aircraft altitude. 

 

 

[xkoote 57]

Couldn't find any reference of "peaks" in the manuals...

[ps1flyer 9]

Thanks, Tom, for confirming that this "all green" display does not happen in the real airplanes.

 

By the way, it is definitely mentioned in the AOM/FCOM, e.g. in the "Flight Instruments, Displays - Navigation Display" chapter. 

The Honeywell pilot guide has more details on peaks mode: (p.35 and on)

https://aerocontent.honeywell.com/aero/common/documents/Mk_VI_VIII_EGPWS.pdf

 

 

 

[rcoultas 21]

3 hours ago, ps1flyer said:

Thanks, Tom, for confirming that this "all green" display does not happen in the real airplanes.

 

 

I believe part of the reason the OP's MFD is "all green" is due to the limited range that is selected (10 nm).