What is the primary role of the altitude alert system?

The primary role of the altitude alert system is to warn pilots of discrepancies in altitude settings and target altitudes. This system is designed to enhance safety by ensuring that pilots are aware when their aircraft is approaching a preselected altitude or if it strays from an expected flight level. By providing alerts, the system helps prevent unintentional altitude deviations, which can lead to potential safety issues such as controlled flight into terrain or other obstacles.

The altitude alert system is especially important during phases of flight where altitude changes are critical, such as during climb, descent, or when transitioning through required altitudes. This allows pilots to focus on managing other aspects of flying the aircraft without having to continuously monitor altitude manually. The alerts serve as an additional layer of awareness, promoting a more organized and safer cockpit environment.

In the context of the other options, while continuously measuring altitude is a function of altimeters, it does not encompass the alerting capability of the system. Assisting in navigation and flight planning relates more to systems like GPS rather than altitude alerts. Lastly, automatic altitude adjustment is typically the function of autopilot systems, not the altitude alert system, which is focused on providing timely warnings rather than making adjustments.