Flight management system
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A flight management system or FMS is a computerized avionics component found
on most commercial and business aircraft. It is sometimes referred to as an FMC or Flight Management Computer
and also as FMGS - Flight Management Guidance Envelope System (Airbus). Its primary function is to assist the
pilots in navigating and managing the aircraft. The system uses data from sources such as conventional navaids,
the aircraft's inertial navigation systems and GPS to determine the position of the aircraft. Additional
information such as standard departure, arrival and instrument approach procedures are also contained in the
onboard database. The raw data, the routing programmed by the pilot, as well as other pertinent information
from the database, are combined to create a moving map display, which is called the Navigation Display (ND)
on Boeing aircraft. Compared to traditional 'round-dial' equipment, such display can significantly improve
the situational awareness of the pilots. The FMS also assist in calculating aircraft performance data such
as takeoff and landing speeds and optimum cruise speed and level.
The FMS is connected to an autopilot, and is often coupled to additional
multi-function displays. In some newer systems, the FMS can relay the aircraft's position back to air
traffic control or airlines' dispatchers via a DATALINK or SATCOM.
While an autopilot can be set to just maintain aircraft
heading and altitude, a flight management system can be programmed to do much more. By providing
inputs to the autopilot and throttles, it can guide the aircraft through a complex set of speed,
course and altitude changes from the airport of origin to the destination,
greatly reducing pilot workload.
Some flight planning systems can produce a flight plan in a
form which can be loaded automatically into the flight management system.
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