Description

Terrain awareness implies an appreciation of the nature of the terrain over which an aircraft is flying, with particular reference to high and low ground and obstacles.

Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Approach-and-landing Accident Reduction (ALAR) Briefing Note 5.2 — Terrain defines terrain awareness as:

"the combined awareness and knowledge of the following:

• Aircraft position
• Aircraft altitude
• Applicable minimum safe altitude
• Terrain location and features, and
• Other hazards."

The briefing note asserts that, "Navigation deviations and inadequate terrain separation are usually the results of monitoring errors."