5.1 Electronic Instrument Systems Flashcards
the earliest air speed indicator (ASI) consisted of what
a flexible bamboo strip
what period saw major advancements in instrumentation
WW1 and the first air mail delivery in the 1920’s
instrumentation in an aircraft provides what
information about its position and speed
the front instrument panel contains what
all instruments needed to fly the aircraft safely and is positioned directly in the pilots eye line
basic six arrangement (instruments) create a “picture” of an aircrafts flight condition
- Airspeed Indicator
- Attitude Director Indicator (ADI)
- Altimeter
- Turn & Bank Indicator or Coordinator
- Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI)
- Vertical Speed Indicator
the basic T instrument layout makes the dials easy to read and helps the pilot to establish the aircraft’s attitude and position
.
all aircraft instrument layouts conform to standards set by who
ICAO
There are four key indicators in the T arrangement, they are
Airspeed Indicator
Attitude Direction Indicator (ADI)
Altimeter
Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI)
electronic Instrument Systems (EIS) have many advantages over their analogue predecessors including
exchange of images between units in the case of display failure. removal of “clutter” on screen
some other advantages of EIS over analogue include
- Coloured displays
- fewer components are needed
- all display units for EIS are the same type
there are many different EIS, including
Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS)
Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS)
Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitoring (ECAM)
displays are interchangeable, which improves
redundancy
Required data is transmitted digitally by ARINC 429 buses:
Via display data buses to CPU-controlled CRT or LCD
Via digital data buses to a printer for a hard-copy printout
In digital form to a radio transmitter, which sends data to a ground receiver
calculations in the system are made by what
CPU (central processing unit)
electronic units are interconnected by what
digital data buses
Reading the indication in bright sunlight used to be more difficult on Engine Instrument Display System (EIDS) monitors than on analogue indicators. what was the solution to this ?
brighter, more modern displays
the EFIS displays are controlled by what panels
EFIS control panels and lighting/loudspeaker control panels
(GGs) graphics generators transmit video signals to what
display units (DUs)
(SSPs) source select panels and centre display control panel supply what
additional controls for the display system
a modern electronic attitude and direction indicator (EADI) displays
Pitch and roll information
Ground speed
Airspeed
Flight director information
Glide slope and localiser deviation
Numerous warning and status message
the numerous warning and status messages displayed on EADI include
pitch and roll mode
navigation aid selected
radio altitude
altitude alert
decision height
EHSI stands for
electronic horizontal situation indicator
A modern EHSI presents a selectable and dynamic colour display of the aircraft’s position and heading in relation to the navigation aids around it
.
Electronic horizontal situaton indicator
(EHSI)
EHSI items displayed include:
Magnetic heading
Radio steering commands for VOR or ILS
Way points, airports, and nav aids
Distance to go
ILS steering info
EHSI can be switched by pilot to display either
a conventional full compass rose or just the portion of the compass rose ahead of the aircraft, commonly called the ARC or “SECTOR Display”.
If an EHSI or EADI display fails
a composite mode on the remaining display shows combined elements of both displays
Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) is a system used by who
Airbus
engine parameters need to be displayed continuously .
top display shows system status messages, warnings and corrective actions
lower screen shows pictorial diagrams of systems
Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) is a system used by who
BOEING
the lower screen is usually blank during normal flights
and the upper screen displays primary engine parameters
in both EICAS and ECAM warnings are accompanied by
master warning lights
the two systems are becoming more alike on modern aircraft
older aircraft used CRT for their displays and have now been supplemented by
LCD as they are brighter
Liquid crystal
LCD have several advantages over CRT including
more robust
produce far less heat
require lower and simpler power supply
are brighter
All EIS have brightness set initially by the pilot then they adjust automatically by
using photocells, to adapt to the ambient light levels in the cockpit
An MCDU multi-function control display unit are used as
primarily as an interface between the pilot and the flight management system
they also act as an interface to the on-board maintenance system
In case of total failure of the EIS what is implemented
a standby artificial horizon, airspeed indicator and altimeter are fitted in view of both pilots
what does EIS use for its displays
Cathode ray tube (CRT)
and
Liquid crystal display (LCD)
EIS allows manual transfer of displays
PFD with ND
secondary ECAM with ND
