Navigation,
Communication
and Electronic
Flight Control
Systems
DALLIS GREEN
J O S E P H C A R LT O N
Topics to be Covered
• Modern Avionics
• Communication
• Navigation
VHF Navigation
• Most basic navigation system in the aircraft
• Most common indications via VHF include VOR, Glideslope, Localizer, and Marker Beacons
• Aircraft contains a VHF receiver that when tuned to proper frequency
• CRJ utilizes 2 channels of NAVs (comparable to NAV 1 and NAV 2 in the archer)
• Indications can be shown on the PFD or MFD based on the pilot’s preference
Electronic Flight
Instrumentation
Systems
• Data for the flight instruments is
provided by an air data system, radio
altimeter and inertial reference
system (IRS).
• Electronic Flight Instrumentation
Systems consists of two displays for
each pilot
Autopilot
• Each control surface is appropriately
actuated by servos which can be
moved based on the intended input
from the autopilot
• Yaw Damper-automatic flight control
system that prevents oscillations that
could result in a “Dutch Roll”
Flight
Director
• VISUAL GUIDANCE ON THE
P F D T O M E E T N AV I G AT I O N
DEMANDS
ACARS
• Communication device used to
transmit and receive information with
ground stations such as ATC or an
airline’s dispatch center
• Normally consists of a receiver,
transmitter, and a sometimes a printer
• Sent by either VHF, HF (used mostly
close to the poles) or SATCOM
• SELective-CALLing radio system
• Often used to alert crews without
assigning them a frequency to monitor
• A distinct chime is followed by the
message intended to be received
• A distinct code is given to the aircraft
that usually remains with the aircraft
permanently
• An aircraft decoder is programmed to
hear the specific combination of tones,
and alerts the crew of the incoming
message
SELCAL
Heads-Up
Displays
• Allows pilots to utilize a “transparent”
plate which mounts in their field of view
(i.e windshield, helmet visor)
• Originally designed for military weapons
delivery
• FAA has approved carrier pilots to hand
fly Class IIIa approaches with HUD
• Future Improvements
Area
Navigation
(RNAV)
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
• Allows pilots to navigation direct from any location to
any location
• Dependency on land based navigational aids are
reduced
Inertial
Navigation
System
• Receives all information internal to the aircraft, using a
3-axis accelerometer, gyroscopes and accelerometers.
• Provides location, groundspeed, heading, and altitude.
Required
Navigation
Performance
(RNP)
• Purpose of RNP is to confirm accuracy of systems
• RNP Values
• Actual Navigation Performance (ANP)
Flight Management System
An FMS comprises four main components:
• The Flight Management Computer (FMC);
• The Automatic Flight Control or Automatic Flight Guidance System (AFCS or AFGS) ;
• The Aircraft Navigation System;
• An Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) or equivalent electromechanical instrumentation.
Automatic
Dependent
SurveillanceBroadcast
(ADS-B)
• Transponder based system
• Allows pilots situational awareness
• Controllers operate more efficiently