AUTO FLIGHT

ATA 22_10
GENERAL
 GENERAL
The Flight Management Guidance System (FMGS) contains
• Two Flight Management Guidance Computers (FMGC)
• Two Multipurpose Control and Display Units (MCDU) (third MCDU
optional)
• One Flight Control Unit (FCU)
• Two Flight Augmentation Computers (FAC).
 FMGS
PHILOSOPHY
• predictions of flight • reduces cockpit
time, workload,
• mileage, • improves efficiency,
• speed, and eliminates many
routine operations
• Econ profiles and
• altitude
 FMGS
PHILOSOPHY
Types of guidance :
• Managed → guides the A/C along the preplanned route and the
vertical and speed/Mach profile.

• Selected → guides the A/C to the target values by using the FCU
selectors.

Selected guidance always has priority over managed guidance.

 FMGC
FMGC divided into two part

The Flight Management (FM) : The Flight Guidance (FG) :

• Navigation and management of • Autopilot (AP) command
navigation radios • Flight Director (FD) command
• Management of flight planning • Autothrust (A/THR) command
• Prediction and optimization of
perf
• Display management
 FMGC
• Each FMGC has its own set of databases.

• The individual databases can be independently loaded into

 their respective FMGC, or
 independently copied from one FMGC to the other.
 FMGC
MAIN DATABASE
1. The Nav database (5 Mbytes) contains :
Navaids, waypoints, airways, enroute information, holding
patterns, airports, runways, procedures (SIDs, STARs, etc.), company
routes, alternates.

updates every 28 days.

The updating operation takes 20 min to complete or 5 min if cross

from the opposite FMGC.
 FMGC
MAIN DATABASE
2. The Airline Modifiable Information (AMI), contains:

 Airline policy values: THR RED altitude, ACC altitude, EO ACC

altitude, PERF factor, IDLE factor.

 Fuel policy values: Fuel for taxi, % of route reserve, maximum and
minimum values of route reserve, etc.

 AOC functions customization

 FMGC
MAIN DATABASE
3. The Aircraft Perf database
 Engine model, Aerodynamical model, and Performance model.
 The airline cannot modify this database.

4. The Magnetic Variation database.

5. Flight crew enable to create

20 waypoints 10 runways
20 navaids 5 routes
 MCDU
• Two MCDUs are installed on the pedestal
• Allows the flight crew to interface with the FMGC (lateral and vertical
trajectories and speed profiles)
• Modify selected navigation or perf data and specific functions of FM
(revised f-plan, engine-out, sec f-plan, etc)
• Additional data from peripherals (CFDS, ACARS, ATSU…)
• If Data that is illogical or beyond the A/C capabilities will either be
disregarded or generate an advisory message.
• Allow the activation of the back–up nav in case of a dual FM Failure
 FCU
• Located on the glareshield
• Short-term interface
• Used to select any flt parameters or modify those selected in the
MCDU
• A/P & A/THR func may be engaged or disengaged
• Different guidance modes : speed, hdg, trk, altitude, fpa, vert-speed
 FAC
• FAC controls rudder, rudder trim and yaw damper inputs
• It computes data for the flight envelope and speed functions
• Also provides warning for low-energy and windshear detection
 OTHER FLIGHT CREW INTERFACES
THRUST LEVERS

Are the main interface between FMGC, FADEC, and the flight crew

The thrust levers:

• Arm the a/thr at takeoff, when FLX or TOGA is selected
• Limit the maximum thr by their position when a/thr is active
• Disconnect the a/thr system when to IDLE
• Command the thrust manually when a/thr is not active
• Engage the common modes (T/O or go-around) when TOGA (or FLX for T/O) is
set
• Set the a/thr to the active mode when between IDLE and CL detent (MCT in
engine out)
 OTHER FLIGHT CREW INTERFACES
ELECTRONIC FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS (EFIS)

• Two PFD and ND provide flt guidance, nav, and sys adv for all phases.
• located at each end of the glareshield
• includes controls to select various modes
• selector allows baro alti setting to be displayed on the PFD.
• Various distance ranges,
• Two switches allow either the left or right VOR/ADF bearing pointers
 OTHER FLIGHT CREW INTERFACES
PFD
combine several conventional flight instrument indications
• F/D attitude guidance targets
• Armed and engaged modes
• Nav and instrument approach information
• Altimeter setting
• Baro altitude
• Sys messages
 OTHER FLIGHT CREW INTERFACES
ND
displays can be selected:
• ARC (map mode)
• ROSE NAV (map mode)
• ROSE VOR
• ROSE LS
• PLAN
FLIGHT CREW INTERFACE WITH
FMGC
SYSTEM INTERFACE DIAGRAM