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    Fly-By-Wire (FBW) : Flight Management System (FMS)

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    haritsrian
    Fly-by-wire systems have replaced mechanical flight controls in modern passenger aircraft. Rather than using hydraulic actuators, fly-by-wire systems use electrical signals from computers to move flight control surfaces via motors. This allows for computer control of the aircraft and greater precision of flight. While it reduces weight and fuel use, fly-by-wire relies on redundant computer and electrical systems for reliability and safety.

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    Fly-By-Wire (FBW) : Flight Management System (FMS)

    Uploaded by

    haritsrian
    112 views3 pages
    Fly-by-wire systems have replaced mechanical flight controls in modern passenger aircraft. Rather than using hydraulic actuators, fly-by-wire systems use electrical signals from computers to move flight control surfaces via motors. This allows for computer control of the aircraft and greater precision of flight. While it reduces weight and fuel use, fly-by-wire relies on redundant computer and electrical systems for reliability and safety.

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    Flight Management Computer

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    Fmc

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    Fly-by-wire systems have replaced mechanical flight controls in modern passenger aircraft. Rather than using hydraulic actuators, fly-by-wire systems use electrical signals from computers to move flight control surfaces via motors. This allows for computer control of the aircraft and greater precision of flight. While it reduces weight and fuel use, fly-by-wire relies on redundant computer and electrical systems for reliability and safety.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    112 views3 pages

    Fly-By-Wire (FBW) : Flight Management System (FMS)

    Uploaded by

    haritsrian
    Fly-by-wire systems have replaced mechanical flight controls in modern passenger aircraft. Rather than using hydraulic actuators, fly-by-wire systems use electrical signals from computers to move flight control surfaces via motors. This allows for computer control of the aircraft and greater precision of flight. While it reduces weight and fuel use, fly-by-wire relies on redundant computer and electrical systems for reliability and safety.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Fly-by-wire (FBW)

    Fly-by-wire is the name given to the electrical/ electronic flight control system now used in all modern
    passenger aircraft. FBW was first introduced on a commercial passenger aircraft (the Airbus A320) in
    1988. Rather than mechanical linkages operating hydraulic actuators, fly-by-wire systems move flight
    control surfaces (ailerons, rudders etc) using electrical wire connections driving motors. At the heart of
    the system are computers that convert the pilot’s commands into electrical signals which are
    transmitted to the motors, servos and actuators that drive the control surfaces. One problem with this
    system is the lack of ‘feel’ that the pilot experiences. Another is a concern over the reliability of FBW
    systems and the consequences of computer or electrical failure. Because of this, most FBW systems
    incorporate redundant computers as well as some kind of mechanical or hydraulic backup. FBW offers
    several important advantages. Computer

    control reduces the burden on a pilot and makes it possible to introduce automatic control. Another
    significant advantage of FBW is a significant reduction in aircraft weight which in turn reduces fuel
    consumption and helps to reduce undesirable CO2 emissions. Computer control can also help to ensure
    that an aircraft is flown more precisely and always within its ‘flight protection envelope’. The crew are
    thus able to cope with emergency situations without running the risk of exceeding the flight envelope or
    over-stressing the aircraft. Finally, fly-by-wire technology has made it possible for aircraft
    manufacturers to develop ‘families’ of very similar aircraft. Airbus/EADS for instance has the 107-seat
    A318 to the 555-seat A380, with comparable flight deck designs and handling characteristics. Crew
    training and conversion is therefore shorter, simpler and highly cost-effective. Additionally, pilots can
    remain current on more than one aircraft type simultaneously.

    Flight Management System (FMS)


    Modern Flight Management Systems (FMS) provide advanced flight planning and navigation capability.
    Utilising existing combinations of avionics equipment including, GPS, VOR/DME, Inertial
    Reference/Navigation Systems (IRS/INS) and dead reckoning data to provide en-route, terminal and non-
    precision approach navigation guidance. Flight Management Systems typically provide:

    • integrated automatic multi-sensor navigation • sensor monitoring and control • display/radar


    control • moving map data display • Steering/pitch commands to autopilot • multiple waypoint lateral
    navigation (LNAV) • optimised vertical navigation (VNAV) • time/fuel planning and predictions based on
    the aircraft flight data • data based Departure Procedures (DP) • Standard Terminal Arrival Routes
    (STAR) and approaches • integrated EFIS and radar control • system integrity and monitoring • flight
    maintenance and execution.
    Flight Management Systems (FMS) require three main elements:

    • Flight Management Computer (FMC) • Display System (could be existing EFIS) • Data Base Storage
    Unit (DBU for waypoint storage) • Control Display Unit (CDU) with keypad.

    As with other flight safety critical systems the FMS can be a ‘dual fit’. Each system computes aircraft
    position. Cross-checks between systems ensure the validity and accuracy of flight data, offering aircrew
    the reassurance of dualredundant systems for position and navigation.
    Prior to departure, waypoints (including those of the origin and destination) are entered into the FMC
    via the Control Display Unit (CDU) to define the route (as many as 100 in some systems). FMS
    initialisation also involves updating the FMS with operational flight parameters such as aircraft weight
    and fuel load. The FMC’s navigational database includes airports and ground beacons and requires
    periodic updating (every 28 days with 13 update cycles per annum). The update is usually distributed on
    CDROM but requires floppy disk for installation on most aircraft (see pages 140 and 141). In flight, the
    FMS uses its sensor inputs to calculate such variables as fuel consumption, airspeed, position, and
    expected time of arrival (ETA).

    Vertical flight limits are maintained by a Vertical Navigation (VNAV) system and the aircraft’s autopilot
    system. VNAV monitors for correct speed and altitude (as determined in the flight plan) limits and
    ensures they are maintained at waypoints. By combining these automatic functions, a flight can be made
    almost entirely automatic, from initial take off to final touch down.

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