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Aoa 737NGX FMS Handout PDF
Aoa 737NGX FMS Handout PDF
Aoa 737NGX FMS Handout PDF
section
System
www.flyaoamedia.com
The material covered in this document is based off information obtained from
the original manufacturers Pilot and Maintenance manuals. It is to be used
for simulation purposes only.
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Table of Contents Table of Illustrations
FMC Overview 3 Figure 20-1. Flight Managment Computer 3
FMC vs CDU 6 Figure 20-2. Example LNAV Profile 4
Control Display Unit 7 Figure 20-3. Example VNAV Profile 5
Inertial Reference System 10 Figure 20-4. Control Display Unit 9
GPS 15 Figure 20-5. Air Data Inertial Reference Unit 11
Figure 20-6. IRS Mode Selector: NAV Position 13
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FMC Overview
During the Autoflight lesson you learned about the
impressive amount of hardware working behind the scenes
to make your control over the aircraft easier through
autoflight methods.
CAUTION
Although there are many things that the autoflight system THIS UNIT CONTAINS
ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE
SENSITIVE ITEMS IDENTIFIED
WITH YELLOW MARKING
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FMC Overview (Cont.)
along a desired path. Of course, the process is much
more complicated than this simple explanation. But this
will suffice for the moment.
VNAV (Figure 20-3) is our vertical navigation, giving us
climb performance calculations, optimum flight level
cruise, and so on. Our Top of Climb (TOC), Top of
Descent (TOD), and vertical path along the waypoints
selected can also be maintained.
MSS
These two modes are selectable from the MCP. When
selected, and if the information is correct and achievable
in the FMC, the aircraft will precisely follow that path.
Worth mentioning at this point is that the LNAV and VNAV YCF
modes cannot take over all operation of the aircraft for all
phases of flight. In other words, there will inevitably be times
of transition where other modes from the MCP will need to
be selected and followed. In the case of takeoff, manual
control is used, as one of many examples. OO
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FMC Overview (Cont.)
However, there is an underlying change in how the aircraft
is operated when we bring something like the FMC into
the picture. This means that as a crew youre no longer
navigating VOR to VOR, or Fix to Fix. Rather, now youre
punching in numbers, route data, and other preferences to
allow the Autoflight system as a whole to handle the best
possible scenario and follow the desired path.
5000
the FMC allows crews to manage flights more efficiently in
1000
the ever-growing complexity that comes with navigating all 0
OO
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FMC vs CDU
There is a large misconception out there when speaking Notes
about the FMC. Technically speaking, the FMC is a
computer that works in the background from anything seen
in the cockpit. In other words, the pilots never see the FMC,
just the data it helps display.
The real interaction with the FMC and display of its data
comes through the CDU, Control Display Unit. In other
words, this is where the FMC is controlled and displayed.
The CDU is very often confused for the FMC. Many people
will refer to the CDU as the FMC, which is incorrect. Here
at Angle of Attack we have been guilty of this mixup in the
past, and well most likely make the same mistake again.
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Control Display Unit
The CDU itself is a simple unit. Well now go over some of itself from that line. Obviously this would be based on the
the minor details about some of the terminology related to page were using and what is required. Youll see later just
the CDU and how things are laid out. (Figure 20-4). how simple that process is.
The CDU itself is a fairly simple unit to control. Rather than Worth mentioning while were on the display is the
the touchscreen interface so popular in todays world, the scratchpad. In this area we will enter information from the
CDU is more of a keyboard type interface. keys below, or copied from the line select keys, where we
can then place it where desired, again, with the line select
Two CDUs are available for both the Captain and First keys. A bit of a jumble as its said, but this will make sense
Officer. Youll be using the Captains CDU most of the time, later as we are transferring data around.
however, operation of either CDU is exactly identical in
operation and functionality. Now we move down to the Function Keys. Each one of
the keys represents a particular area of the CDU where we
Well now go through, top to bottom, and talk about the can get into specific modes easily and quickly. Although
different physical attributes of the CDU. there are often prompts in other ways, this is a quick way of
navigation from one section to another. You can imagine
First, youll notice the display which takes up a good that when youre in the air and things are busy, this kind of
amount of real estate. This display will show all the data functionality is essential.
necessary as communicated from the FMC through the
Autoflight system. Youll become quite familiar with each and every section
of the CDU, so youll know as well how to quickly get
On the left and right of the display are seen various keys somewhere specific with its corresponding Function Key.
called Line Select Keys (LSK). These are referenced as 1
left through 6 left, and 1 right through 6 right. They allow us Last but certainly not least are the AlphaNumeric keys
to enter in selected information, or select the information located at the bottom of the CDU. There isnt a lot that
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Control Display Unit (Cont.)
can be said about these keys outside of common sense. Notes
With these keys we enter information into the scratchpad,
again, located at the bottom of the CDU display, where it
can then be placed accordingly with line select keys.
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MENU
Scratchpad
INIT
RTE CLB CRZ DES
REF
INIT
MENU LEGS HOLD PROG EXEC
REF
Function Keys N1
FIX
LIMIT A B C D E
PREV NEXT
PAGE PAGE
F G H I J
1 2 3 K L M N O
Alphanumeric Keys
4 5 6 P Q R S T
7 8 9 U V W X Y
. 0 +/- Z SP DEL / CLR
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Inertial Reference System
Contrary to popular belief, the 737NGX does not discuss that later.
magically know where it is at all times. Rather, that is thanks
primarily to the Inertial Reference System or IRS. Because these IRS systems were invented before the
day of GPS data being available and reliable, its not
The IRS, which actually consists of two IRS units, is a very as simple as firing up the IRS to get current position and
complex combination of lasers and accelerometers that information.
provide the autoflight system, including the FMC, with
incredibly important information (Figure 20-5). Rather, the pilots have to go through what is called
an alignment process to initialize the IRS. Otherwise,
This includes: information will be unreliable and inaccurate.
Attitude
True and Magnetic Heading This alignment process takes about 10 minutes. We will
be going through this process many times in the training,
Acceleration
including what is called a quick align that takes only 30
Vertical Speed seconds.
Ground Speed
Track However, even with a quick align, an initial full align is
Present Position required.
and Wind Data.
The IRS is certainly not transparent like some of the other
Although there are GPS units installed onboard most Autoflight components. In other words, we have some data
modern 737s, the IRS is the primary means of attitude that is displayed.
and heading data on the aircraft. A GPS equipped 737
uses the GPS as the primary means of position data. Well Present position and other data is displayed through the
IRS Display Unit, located on the aft overhead panel.
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LASER
GYRO
DETAIL
ROLL RATE
LASER GYRO
Y X IR IR
LATERAL PROCESSOR DATA
LONGITUDINAL OUT
AXIS AXIS
YAW RATE
LASER GYRO
Z
VERTICAL
AXIS
ADIRU
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Inertial Reference System (Cont.)
Latitude and longitude is displayed at the top of the Once a mode is selected with the knob, different status
display unit and can also be entered with the keys, are then displayed above with the indicator lights. The
bottom right. process is straight forward. If there is anything amber or
Selected with the display is a test mode, track and flashing, that means were being warned of a possible
groundspeed, Present Position, Wind and Heading issue or the aircraft isnt aligned. During perfect, aligned
information modes. Also coupled with the heading operation, everything should be extinguished.
information are any status messages for maintenance.
These codes will be widely unrecognized by the pilots. In the OFF position, the mode selector does the following:
Last, the pilot can select which IRS information to display, All Alignment is lost in the respective IRS.
which is data from the left or right IRS.
All electrical power is removed from the system after a 30
second cool-down period.
Alignment, as mentioned before, is an initial process
that has to be done. This process is for the most part
In the ALIGN position, the following action takes place:
automated, however, it does require some control through
Rotating from the OFF position to the ALIGN position
the IRS Mode Selector.
starts the alignment cycle.
Well now go through the indications and some of the Rotating from the NAV position to the ALIGN position,
scenarios on the IRS Mode Selector (Figure 20-6), as we aircraft position is automatically updated and
groundspeed errors are zeroed out.
arent going to be spending a lot of time with it during
FlightWork and LineWork.
The NAV position, which is used most often, does the
following:
Most integral to this system are the mode selector knobs
themselves at the bottom. Both the left and right IRS need The system enters the NAV mode after alignment is
to be aligned and operating for data to be reliable. completed.
In Nav mode, all IRS information is available to other
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Inertial Reference System (Cont.)
aircraft systems.
First off is the light youre going to see most, which is the
Figure 20-6. IRS Mode Selector: NAV Position
ALIGN light.
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Inertial Reference System (Cont.)
When illuminated steady, the ALIGN light is currently pulling from the hot battery bus rather than getting AC
aligning or if flashing there is an error and alignment isnt power, like under normal circumstances.
possible. You will run into these situations, so its important
to know. The DC FAIL light being illuminated means that the DC
power to the IRS is not normal. Much like the ON DC light,
The ALIGN light is off when the system is aligned and when DC FAIL isnt lit, everything is normal. And it also means
operating correctly, but will only turn off if in NAV mode. its running normally on AC power.
The ALIGN light will also turn off when ATT mode is
selected and both the heading and attitude information is This does it for the IRS Mode Selector.
available.
Finishing up our discussion on the IRS is the IRS Transfer
In a perfect situation, which is most often the case, we want Switch. Put simply, this switch allows for the flight instruments
to be in NAV mode, with the ALIGN light extinguished. This to get their information from one IRS or both. Normal
means we are operating normally and the IRS is sending all operation, as noted below the switch, is both.
pertinent information to the various aircraft systems.
The IRS is an integral part of the overall navigation of the
Moving on, the FAULT light is AMBER when a system fault aircraft. And without it, the FMC wouldnt have redundancy,
is detected. These may be able to be fixed on the ground and we wouldnt have heading or attitude data.
with a realignment, but usually a call would need to be
made to maintenance about the details. The specific fault
may show up as a code on the IRS Display Units system
display page.
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GPS
Our final subject in this FMC lesson is the GPS, Global Notes
Positioning System. Many if not all of you are familiar with
what a GPS is. However, well go through a quick review of
how the system works. In addition, well discuss the 737NGX
specific components and considerations.
How does this relate to the FMC? The FMC uses GPS data
as its primary positioning information, while the IRS remains
secondary. If the GPS data is unreliable or has an issue, the
IRS is a quick backup. This makes for pin-point accuracy
of the aircraft position, and has lead to RNP approaches
and other incredibly useful advances in navigation. Well
be talking a lot more about those throughout FlightWork,
including where to see the indications.
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