Hello all
My tupence worth (for what it's worth)
Both EGPWS & GPWS warning modes do change significantly depending on the gear and flap status of the aircraft.
Neither of them want you to go near the ground with flaps in landing position and the Noise Suppressing Rubber thingies down.
Either system is expensive to fit to an aircraft ( the expense varies between spectacular and obscene) so the only aircraft that have a GPWS/EGPWS system are likely to be the ones that have to have one.
This means that not only will it be mandatory to have one but also to tell pilots what to do if it talks to you. So you will find...
If the chap hops out of the cupboard, you are obliged to heed his warning unless you are in VMC and it is daytime and you are very, very sure he is telling lies. If you are IMC or it is dark, off you go. (and you will be trained to do this)
There are times & circumstances when you can inhibit warnings. There are other times when you can disable all or part of the system (various cunning switches with guards over them etc, or in the older ones something as barbaric as pulling CB'S)
only as specified in the approved operations manual children, never never try this at home!!!
At the end of the day, you can't beat knowing where you are, but you must never ignore the warning if it comes when you can't see!!
Don't know if this has helped at all but ..... who knows
Cheers and have fun
Bendy
Lisag, just saw your last post.
With all the usual riders about not knowing all the facts of the accident (Thoughts with all of them) ..........
Yes EGPWS may have saved the day, whereas GPWS thought he was landing and didn't mind that the ground was rising up. In the absence of a Glide Slope it would not have known whereas EGPWS has a terrain and runway database so it will (normally) tell you if you are trying to land where you shouldn't.
Bad things have been known to happen though, so again best to be sure of where you are.
Cheers
Bendy