Position & Warning Systems
Position & Warning Systems is a core knowledge area on the AMT — Airframe FAA written exam. This hub collects our 16 in-depth, ACS-aligned position & warning systems articles — each written in plain English and grounded in the official FAA handbooks. Work through them below, then drill the topic with practice questions.
Angle of Attack Indicator Systems
Angle of attack indicator systems give pilots and technicians a direct measure of the wing's aerodynamic performance, warning of impending stalls before airspeed alone can — a critical tool for flight safety and FAA knowledge test success.
Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) vs Classic GPWS
EGPWS adds terrain databases and predictive alerting to classic GPWS, giving crews earlier warnings of terrain conflicts and significantly reducing controlled-flight-into-terrain accidents.
Radio Altimeter System Principles and Maintenance
Radio altimeters measure true height above terrain using radar pulses, providing critical low-altitude data for GPWS, autopilots, and approach systems — understanding their principles and upkeep is essential for AMT airframe technicians.
Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) Operation and Components
The Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) monitors aircraft flight parameters to alert crews of dangerous terrain or obstacle proximity, using onboard sensors and defined warning modes to prevent controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II) Theory and Operation
TCAS II actively interrogates transponders of nearby aircraft and issues both traffic advisories and coordinated resolution advisories to help pilots avoid mid-air collisions, independent of ATC.
Marker Beacon Receiver System and Light Indications
Marker beacon receivers decode 75 MHz fan-shaped signals from outer, middle, and inner markers to give pilots precise ILS approach fix identification via distinct audio tones and colored cockpit lights.
Inertial Reference System (IRS) Components and Alignment Procedures
The Inertial Reference System (IRS) uses accelerometers and gyroscopes to provide aircraft position, attitude, and navigation data without external signals — but it must be properly aligned on the ground before every flight.
Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) Categories and Requirements
TAWS uses GPS, radio altimetry, and terrain databases to warn pilots of imminent ground proximity hazards; FAA rules divide the system into Class A and Class B categories with distinct equipment and aircraft applicability requirements.
Air Data Computer System Inputs and Outputs
The Air Data Computer (ADC) collects raw pitot-static and temperature sensor inputs to compute and distribute critical flight parameters—airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, and Mach number—to cockpit displays and aircraft systems.
Stall Warning System Types: Stick Shakers and Vane Sensors
Stall warning systems—including aerodynamic vane sensors and mechanical stick shakers—alert pilots when an aircraft approaches a critical angle of attack, providing essential safety margins before full aerodynamic stall.
Configuration Warning System: Takeoff and Landing Gear Warnings
Configuration warning systems alert pilots to unsafe takeoff and landing configurations, including improper gear and flap positions, safeguarding against one of aviation's most preventable accident categories.
Flight Data Recorder (FDR) System Interface and Mandatory Parameters
Flight Data Recorders capture mandatory aircraft performance parameters to support accident investigation; AMTs must understand system interfaces, required parameters, and maintenance regulations to keep FDRs airworthy.
Mach Airspeed Warning System Components
The Mach airspeed warning system alerts pilots when the aircraft approaches its maximum operating Mach number (MMO), using dedicated sensors, comparators, and audible/visual warnings to prevent compressibility upsets.
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) System Maintenance Requirements
The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) captures flight crew audio and is subject to strict FAA maintenance, inspection, and operational requirements that every AMT must know cold.
Overspeed Warning System Operation and Aural Alerts
An overspeed warning system alerts pilots when airspeed exceeds structural or operating limits, using sensors, logic circuits, and aural/visual alerts to prompt immediate corrective action.
Altitude Alerting System Operation and FAR Requirements
Altitude alerting systems warn pilots when approaching or deviating from a selected altitude; FAR 91.219 mandates them on most turbine-powered civil aircraft operating in U.S. airspace.
More AMT — Airframe subjects
Articles are original summaries grounded in the public-domain FAA handbooks and cite their source. ACS-aligned study aids — not a substitute for the official handbooks or regulations.