Abstract: A terrain awareness system and method which provides increased warning times to the pilot of an aircraft of a hazardous flight condition while minimizing nuisance warnings. An important aspect of the invention is that the terrain background information as well as the terrain advisory and warning indications may be displayed on a navigational or weather display, normally existing within an aircraft, which reduces the cost of the system and obviates the need for extensive modifications to existing displays, such as a navigational and weather radar type display.