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ATPL Inst 5.1 PDF

The radio altimeter measures the height of an airplane above the ground using radio waves. It provides continuous readings up to 2,500 feet and feeds information to systems like the autopilot and terrain warning systems. The radio altimeter transmits an FMCW signal and measures the frequency change between transmitted and received waves to determine height. It is accurate to ±3 feet up to 500 feet and 5% above 500 feet. Potential errors include leakage if the transmit and receive antennas are too close and mushing if they are too far apart.

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358 views4 pages

ATPL Inst 5.1 PDF

The radio altimeter measures the height of an airplane above the ground using radio waves. It provides continuous readings up to 2,500 feet and feeds information to systems like the autopilot and terrain warning systems. The radio altimeter transmits an FMCW signal and measures the frequency change between transmitted and received waves to determine height. It is accurate to ±3 feet up to 500 feet and 5% above 500 feet. Potential errors include leakage if the transmit and receive antennas are too close and mushing if they are too far apart.

Uploaded by

Koustubh Vadalkar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

WILJAM FLIGHT TRAINING

Chapter 5.1
Radio Altimeter
Introduction
The Radio Altimeter (RA) is a device, which accurately measures the height above the surface
immediately below an aeroplane up to 2,500 feet and is particularly suited to low altitude terrain
clearance measurement. It provides an instantaneous and continuous readout on the flight
deck of the height above water, mountains, buildings, or other objects on the surface of the
earth, but gives no information regarding high ground immediately ahead of the aeroplane. This
information is also supplied to the:

Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) to facilitate automatic landings using the
Instrument Landing System (ILS).

Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) to provide height, and rate of change of
height information.

The outputs from the Radio Altimeter can additionally be fed directly, or via a data bus, to the
Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) and the Flight Management Computer (FMC).
Importantly the height being measured by the Radio Altimeter is absolute, so flight over
undulating terrain will result in sympathetic variations in the indications of the height of the
aeroplane on the display.
The Radio Altimeter System
A Radio Altimeter determines the time taken for a radio wave to travel from the aeroplane to the
ground directly beneath the aeroplane and back again. The system consists of a
transmitter/receiver, a modulator, an integral timing or beat frequency counter, a transmitter
aerial, a receiver aerial and a display as shown below.

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WILJAM FLIGHT TRAINING


Some Radio Altimeter systems alternatively use a mechanical circular display, as shown below,
where the altitude is displayed linearly up to 500 feet and logarithmically from 500 - 2,500 feet,
which makes the lower range of altitudes easier to read more accurately.

In this type of display the maximum altitude (2,500 feet) is obvious, but it is not so apparent
when using a moving vertical scale presentation, as shown on the previous page.
Notably all radio altimeter displays have a method of setting the decision height, which is
normally set at 100 feet, and a flashing DH indicator light will be given when this point is
reached. The required height is set using a decision height (DH) setting knob, and a bug or
index marker indicates the set height. The setting control knob on some systems also normally
doubles up as a press-to-test (PTT) facility, which when engaged, will drive the display to a
predetermined value, which is typically 100 feet.
With reference to the upper display, an OFF or FAIL flag will be visible if:

There is a power failure.


The returning signal is too weak.
Local reflections are received from the airframe itself.

A mask will also cover the height pointer if:

The equipment is switched off.


There is a fault in the transmitted signal.
The altitude exceeds 2500 feet.

The Decision Height (DH) light will flash continuously if the aeroplane goes below the set height
and will remain so until the aeroplane climbs, or until the DH is set at a lower value. At
approximately 50 feet above the set decision height an audible alert will sound with increasing
loudness until the actual decision height is reached.
Principle of Operation of a Radio Altimeter
A Radio Altimeter measures the time taken for a radio wave to travel from the aeroplane to the
surface directly beneath and back again, and provided that the path followed by the wave is
vertical, the total elapsed time will be a function of the aeroplanes height. During this time the
transmitted frequency will change and the equipment will measure the difference between the
transmitted and received signals. The frequency change is a measure of the time taken for the
radio wave to travel to and from the surface and thus, the greater the frequency change the
greater the height. To achieve this the Radio Altimeter system makes use of primary radar
principles and transmits a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW), at a frequency of
4250 MHz to 4350 MHz, which is in the Super High Frequency (SHF), or Centimetric
wavelength band.

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WILJAM FLIGHT TRAINING


A complete modulation cycle or frequency sweep is illustrated on the next page. In this system
the total sweep of the modulated or carrier frequency is automatically varied by + 50 MHz
approximately 300 times per second, from an initial datum of 4300 MHz.

Throughout the cycle there will be two very short periods when the modulation changes from
positive to negative and vice-versa. The frequency difference, which occurs when the
transmitter alters the direction of its frequency sweep is overcome by relating the aeroplane
height directly to the average beat frequency, ie. the difference between the transmitted and
received frequency, observed over a short sampling period. The frequency changeover points
can essentially be ignored in the height calculation, so that the difference in frequency will be
directly proportional to the aeroplanes height.
At low altitudes the reflected radio wave will return almost instantaneously, which will give an
erroneous height, so a wider sweep is necessary to provide a measurable frequency difference.
In order to overcome this ambiguity, the sweep rate is lowered, ie. the time for a complete
frequency sweep is made longer, so that all normal heights within the normal operating range of
the radio altimeter are covered.
Performance and Accuracy of a Radio Altimeter
The accuracy of the radio altimeter is normally:

0 - 500 feet:
Above 500 feet:

3 feet or 3% of the height, whichever is the greater.


5 % of the height.

When the aeroplane is on the ground, the Radio Altimeter may show a small negative value,
since the equipment is normally calibrated to indicate zero when the main wheels first come into
contact with the runway surface on landing. This effect is particularly noticeable on aeroplanes
with multi-wheel undercarriage assemblies, which are inclined at an upward angle when
deployed in flight.
Errors Associated with a Radio Altimeter
A Radio Altimeter may be susceptible to the following errors:-

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WILJAM FLIGHT TRAINING


Leakage Error. This may occur if the Transmitter (Tx) and Receiver (Rx) antennae on
the underside of the aeroplane are fitted too close together, ie. the spilling through of
the side-lobes directly into the Rx antenna. The antennae are thus placed far enough
apart to avoid any interference, which also provides adequate screening.
Mushing Error. This may occur if the antennae are placed too far apart. As the
aeroplane comes close to the ground, the Tx antenna, reflection point and Rx antenna
will form a triangle, so that the actual distance travelled by the wave can become
greater than twice the vertical height between the surface and the aeroplane, thus
giving a false height indication, as illustrated below.

The Advantages of a Radio Altimeter


Radio altimeters have the following advantages:

They indicate the actual (absolute) height of an aeroplane.


They provide an easy crosscheck with the barometric altimeter for terrain
clearance.
They provide a aural warning signal prior to reaching the preset DH, and a visual
warning when the DH is reached.

5-1-4

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