Apparatus for forward looking terrain avoidance (FLTA) in an aircraft, including a processor and at least one sensor, each sensor being coupled with the processor, the processor for executing at least one neural network based algorithm, the at least one sensor for monitoring a plurality of flight parameters of the aircraft thereby generating a plurality of monitored flight parameters, the processor dividing the performance envelope of the aircraft into predefined flight regimes, wherein for each predefined flight regime, the processor defining and storing a suitable protection envelope type, the processor determining an estimated flight regime of the aircraft using the neural network based algorithm based on the plurality of monitored flight parameters, and the processor selecting a respective suitable protection envelope type for the aircraft based on the estimated flight regime.