Airline operations centre

Flight Management Computer

Ground network

Airborne system

131.55 MHz

121.5 MHz

136.0 MHz

118.0 MHz

To manage the incoming and outgoing messages

To display messages, reports, and communication requests to the crew

To print ACARS messages

To control the VHF 3 transceiver

To convert data from and to the VHF-COMM

To display messages to the crew

To code the messages for the VHF Comms

To provide weather report information

Demand mode

Polled mode

Automatic mode

Manual mode

To convert data from and to the VHF-COMM

To provide weather report information

To define the aircraft type and configuration

To code the messages for the VHF Comms

Automatic reports which independent on the flight profile and manual reports which are depend of the flight profile.

Automatic reports which depend on the flight profile and manual reports which are independent of the flight profile.

Automatic reports only.

Downlink

Uplink

Doppler

Crosstalk

Downlink

Uplink

Doppler

Crosstalk

Very High Frequency (VHF) 3

Very High Frequency (VHF) 2

High Frequency (HF)

SATCOM

Red MU FAIL indication on the management unit.

Flashing amber FAIL indication on the MU.

Amber indicators on the glare shield.

Annunciator on the Multi-Purpose Interactive Display Unit

To replace manual flight controls with an electronic interface

To increase mechanical connections between the cockpit and control surfaces

To reduce the reliance on computers for flight control

To decrease the safety and cost-effectiveness of aircraft

Less responsive to external stimuli

More complex and less streamlined

Lighter weight and more reliable

More susceptible to stalling and spinning

By directly linking the pilot's input to the control surfaces

Via electronic signals through wires to flight control computers, then to the control surface actuator

Through mechanical connections between the cockpit and control surfaces

To replace the flight control yokes

To fly the aircraft in pitch and roll

To provide visual feedback to the pilot

To control the hydraulic systems of the aircraft

To signal priority for one pilot to take control of the aircraft

To activate the autopilot system

To indicate left or right sidestick priority

To adjust the armrest for the side stick control

To process pilot and autopilot inputs and control the aircraft

To provide visual feedback to the pilot

To control the hydraulic systems of the aircraft

To replace the flight control yokes

They can fail rapidly and suddenly

They are more responsive to changing aerodynamic conditions

They are not able to prevent stalling and spinning

They are heavier and less reliable than traditional systems

Each one of the computers has a specific function.

Only one computer is used for all functions.

Two computers are used. The primary computer is active and the secondary computer acts as a standby.

To manage the in-flight entertainment system

To provide virtual data and coordination between closed and open elements at all stages of a flight

To control the engine start-up and shutdown process

To monitor the cabin temperature and air pressure

To control the aircraft's landing gear

To monitor the weather conditions during the flight

To provide a means for the crew to communicate with the FMC

To adjust the cabin lighting

To transmit pilot input signals as serial digital data

To provide a means for the crew to communicate with the FMC

To manage the aircraft's fuel consumption

To control the aircraft's navigation system

Two

Four

Three

One

To manage the aircraft's communication with air traffic control

To control the aircraft's autopilot system

To store information concerning airports, standard flight routes, and nav aid data

To provide information on the aircraft's weight and balance

Every 7 days

Every 14 days

Every 28 days

Every 30 days

To provide continual information on locations, routes, and height

To help pilots plan routes by providing information regarding airports and ATC frequencies

To define the part of a computer program that varies for different aircraft configuration or changes for each different airline

To update the FMC database every 28 days

Using a wireless connection

Using a portable data loader or a disc

Using a USB drive

Using a CD-ROM

Flux valves are not real. They exist only in the movies

IRS uses GPS for heading and navigation purposes

Variations of Earth's magnetic field are known by the computer stored in its memory.

It contains all the system components including the laser gyros.

It performs the functions of the Multipurpose Control and Display Unit (MCDU).

It performs the functions of the Inertial Sensor Display Unit (ISDU).

It's the main receiver for all GNSS aerials

By using signals from 4 satellites to calculate the distance between the aircraft and the satellites.

A satellite monitors the aircafts path and sends the measured position to the aircraft.

GPS uses ground based radio stations to measure aircraft positions.

Multimode receiver

Direction receiver

Almanac decoder

Inertial Reference Unit

Core Processing Input Output Module (CPIOM) & Input/Output Modules (IOM)

Avionics Data Communications Network (ADCN) & Core Processing Input Output Module (CPIOM)

Avionics Data Communications Network (ADCN) & Input/Output Modules (IOM)

Inertial Reference Unit & Avionics Data Communications Network (ADCN)

Full duplex switched ethernet

Half duplex basic ethernet

Simplex switched ethernet

Multiplex basic ethernet

Director

DEU A

DEU B

AFDX Switch

Director

DEU A

DEU B

AFDX Switch

Discrete signal lines

DEU A

DEU B

AFDX Switch

Cabin interphone, service interphone and passenger address

Flight and cabin interphones

Flight and service interphones

Passenger address, ACARS Datalink, and ACARS Voice

FAPS via Ethernet bus.

FAPS via fibre optics.

Multi-Purpose Interactive Display via Ethernet bus.

Multi-Purpose Interactive Display via fibre optics.