Electronic Instrument Systems (14.1)
Electronic and digital processes are used in many of today's aircraft for a variety of purposes: navigation, dissemination of information, flying and controlling the aircraft. It should be borne in mind that as each manufacturer introduces such a system to the market the chances are that new names for it are added to the dictionary of terms. For instance, an Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) is much the same as a Multi-Function Display System (MFDS), the main difference being the manufacturer.
This module will deal with the following Electronic/Digital Systems:
1. EFIS – Electronic Flight Instrument System.
2. EICAS – Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System
3. ECAM – Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitoring.
4. ACARS – Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System.
5. FBW – Fly by Wire.
6. FMS – Flight Management System.
7. IRS – Inertial Reference System.
All instruments essential to the operation of an aircraft are located on panels, the number of which vary in accordance with the number of instruments required for the appropriate type of aircraft and its flight deck layout. The front instrument panel, positioned in the normal line of sight of the pilots, contains all instruments critical for the safe flight of the aircraft. This panel is normally sloped forward 15° from the vertical to minimize parallax errors. Other panels within the flight deck are typically positioned; Overhead, left and right side and centrally between the pilots.
Figure 1 shows the layout of a Boeing 737 Flightdeck.
Boeing 737 Flightdeck
Figure 1