Glass Simming 2020

By Bill Stack

Enjoy your realistic simulations by using electronic flight decks and cockpits like real-world pilots. Identify, read, and understand all flight, navigation, and aircraft instruments. Make complete flight plans from departure to destination with waypoints and cruising altitudes. Find airports, navaids, waypoints, intersections, fixes, and coordinates from the aviation databases. Implement official airport procedures: SIDs, STARs, and IAPs. Follow your flight plans on the navigation maps. Implement and follow ATC-assigned airport procedures on the navigation maps. Track from and to radio navaids. Although based on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (tm), principles and methods can be applied to similar aircraft in other simulators.

• Language: English
• Publisher: TopSkills
• Release date: Feb 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201775384

Bill Stack

Bill Stack is a retired management consultant.

Book preview

Introduction

This book explains the use of electronic flight decks (commonly called glass cockpits) and their electronic instruments featured in Microsoft Flight Simulator ™ 2020. That simulator is used because it is so popular. Principles can be applied to other home flight-simulation programs.

Autopilots, auto-throttles, throttles, flaps/slats, radios, and lights are explained only as they relate to electronic flight decks. Thorough explanations are outside the scope of this book.

Official real-world manuals for electronic flight decks were used as sources. I favored the nomenclature in those manuals to the extent practical. Because home flight simulation programs do not replicate all aspects of real-world aviation, this book should not be used for any other purpose. 

Because some readers want to know what does what and others want to know how to do that, each chapter explains both. Some information is repeated among chapters because readers of technical manuals usually direct their attention to specific chapters instead of starting at Page 1 and continuing through the end. Aviation abbreviations regarding electronic instruments are identified throughout the book and defined in the Appendix.

Since this book is for home flight simulation using consumer computers and gaming equipment, certain instructions are also simulated: When my instructions say press, turn, switch, toggle, or touch, these functions are done with mouse clicks and sometimes keyboard shortcuts. I use press, turn, switch, and toggle regarding hard controls such as knobs, switches, and keys. I use touch and tap regarding touchable buttons on the respective screens.

Official navigation information and aviation procedures are accurately depicted and applied by MSFS 2020.  Charts for use with the various flight management systems are available from sources such as FlightAware, SkyVector, and SimPlates. 

Microsoft Flight Simulator™ 2020 is very glitchy. Since its launch in August 2020, more than 20 upgrades have been released correcting literally thousands of major and minor flaws. Many flaws remained when this book was written, however, and some will surely be corrected after release of this book.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy, correctness, and usefulness of this manual. It has been thoroughly researched, meticulously written, and independently vetted and proofread. If you find anything in this manual that you suspect is inaccurate, ask me and I will check it out. Posting complaints on the internet does nothing to help you and does a lot to harm me.

Bill Stack, Author

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Chapter 1

Overview

Electronic flight decks show flight, navigation, and aircraft data on electronic displays instead of mechanical and electrical instruments. More information is provided in the same amount of space, which enables pilots to find and read needed data quickly. Electronic displays also facilitate accurate readings because parallax errors are eliminated. (Parallax is most obvious in the Beechcraft King Air’s mechanical fuel gauges.)

Although electronic flight decks are considered modern compared to mechanical and electrical instruments, they date back to military aircraft of the 1960s. They entered commercial aviation in the 1980s and 1990s as computers became more powerful and occupied less space. Early versions used a few electronic instruments alongside mechanicals. With steady advances in computer technology, mechanical instruments were gradually replaced with electronics except for a few backup instruments that are more redundant than necessary. As personal computer technology advanced, electronic flight decks became available and affordable for general aviation in the 1990s and 2000s. Manufacturers such as Beechcraft, Cessna, and Piper offered them as options for new aircraft and later as standard equipment in new aircraft. Private pilots have retrofit some flight decks with electronic instruments.

Early electronic instruments used cathode ray tubes (CRT) like desktop monitors of the period and later liquid crystal displays (LCD). CRTs required a lot of space, and both devices generated considerable heat. Modern electronic flight decks use light emitting diode displays (LED) that occupy less space behind the panels and generate little heat. The latest technology is touch-screen LEDs.

Three electronic displays are common in commercial and general aviation: Primary Flight Display (PFD), Multi-Function Display (MFD), and Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS). Flight Management Computers (FMC) are used in commercial aviation, and Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) are advanced features in some general aviation aircraft. Modern electronic flight decks take full advantage of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Major manufacturers of electronic flight equipment are Collins, Dynon, Garmin, Honeywell, and Thales. Airbus and Boeing have in-house avionics departments in addition to outsourcing some devices to independent suppliers.

Whether in large commercial airliners or small general aviation aircraft, electronic flight decks generally contain equivalent devices in similar arrangement.

Although electronic flight decks can seem complicated at first glance, they are carefully and deliberately designed for ease of use. Learning one will help you learn others. You will benefit from familiarizing yourself with these instruments prior to your flights so you can use them easily aloft.

Primary Flight Display

The PFD is almost always in front of the pilot, or left seat. As one of the first glass instruments introduced to commercial aviation, it stood alone on the instrument panel among mechanical and electrical instruments for years. Modern devices present much more information than early devices, and they are similar among various manufacturers with a few differences.

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Typical Primary Flight Display

All modern PFDs display an attitude indicator (AI), an airspeed indicator (ASI), a vertical speed indicator (VSI), and an Altimeter. Most PFDs include a horizontal situation indicator (HSI) and a course deviation indicator (CDI). An HSI combines an omni-bearing indicator (OBI) with a compass rose or arc. In most PFDs, the arc spans 90 degrees from left to right. PFDs with HSIs usually include indicators for instrument landing system (ILS) localizers and glide slopes. Some PFDs include autopilot data and a flight director. In high performance aircraft, PFDs include an angle-of-attack indicator (AOA).

The large instrument in the middle is the AI. It rises, falls, and rotates left and right as the aircraft’s attitude changes. Degrees of pitch and bank are marked and sometimes labeled.

Below is the HSI with compass rose or arc and a CDI. The compass turns left and right as the aircraft’s heading changes. The CDI points toward the next waypoint and indicates whether the aircraft is on or off course, and by how much it is off course.

The ASI is on the left as a moving tape plus a digital window. In jet aircraft, mach speed is shown in digital form above or below the ASI depending on the manufacturer.

The Altimeter is on the right as a moving tape and digital window.

The VSI is usually to the right of the altimeter.

The current barometric setting is a digital readout above or below the altimeter.

When autopilot data are presented, they are usually on the top and abbreviated due to space restrictions. Specific abbreviations differ among manufacturers. Altitude settings are shown in digital form above or below the altimeter tape. In aircraft with auto-throttles, airspeed settings are usually above the ASI tape.

Some PFDs include navigation data such as distances to navaids and waypoints. Some show wind data and allow pilots to choose how they are displayed. Transponders are included in the PFDs in the Garmin electronic flight decks.

Specific functions and variations are explained in detail in respective chapters.

Engine Information Systems

Another early glass display reports status and performance data about the engines. Most are called Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS). Some manufacturers use titles such as Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitoring (ECAM) and Engine Monitoring System (EMS). They all provide fundamental information such as temperature, pressure, and rotation speed. A few report engine vibration. Some provide data about the aircraft’s electric and hydraulic systems. They are installed in most commercial and some general-aviation aircraft. Fuel is always reported as quantity on board and flow rate. Sometimes quantity used is reported.

These instruments are in various locations depending on the aircraft manufacturer. Some are on the PFD, others on the MFD, and some on the pedestal (sometimes called center console or aisle stand). In some aircraft, data are grouped according to categories and displayed on separate pages that can be selected by the pilots.

Navigation Display

Navigation information is provided in the Navigation Display (ND) in the Airbus A320, Cessna CJ4, Boeing 747, and Boeing Dreamliner. It is dominated by a moving map. In the center is a compass rose that covers the entire 360 degrees or an arc spanning 90 to 135 degrees from left to right, depending on the aircraft. Both compasses contain rings for various distances from the aircraft in nautical miles such as five, 10, and 20. Pilots can select rose or arc and increase or decrease range of these maps. Navigation displays also show digital data for radio navigation aids, ground speed, true airspeed, and wind direction and speed.

Typical Navigation Display

Multi-Function Display

The MFD is the last major glass instrument added to modern flight decks. Its main feature is a moving map that consumes about four-fifths of the screen and resembles GPS devices used on the ground by ordinary citizens. The map displays major navigation data such as airports, navaids, airspaces, waypoints, and intersections. Some maps display traffic in the area. Pilots can zoom in and out of maps. In this regard, an MFD is similar to an ND.

Some MFDs intended for general aviation also display engine information that are displayed by EICAS in jet aircraft.

Most Garmin MFDs include pages of specific navigation data in tabular form such as airports and navaids. Pilots can look up information about most airports such as elevations, runways, and Air Traffic Control (ATC) frequencies. This ability is most useful for departure and destination airports when planning flights.

Typical Multi-Function Display

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Typical Multi-Function Display

Flight Management Systems

Flight Management Systems (FMS) are on-board computers that automate many pre-flight and in-flight tasks such as flight planning, navigation, and aircraft performance. These computers are linked to GPS receivers, radio-navigation receivers, navigation databases, aircraft system monitors, input devices, and display screens.

Jet pilots use Control Display Units (CDU) with keypads and screens to interact with FMS. These devices resemble hand-held calculators in appearance. Pilots use them to manage their flight plans, determine current positions, estimate time to waypoints and destinations, manage fuel consumption, and monitor aircraft performance. In MSFS 2020, they are rendered in the Airbus A320, Boeing 747, and Cessna CJ4. (Airbus calls its CDU a Multi-Function Control Display Unit, or MCDU.)

Autopilots

Some Garmin glass fight decks include autopilot controls with their glass instruments, usually in the MFD and sometimes in the PFD. Because autopilots are not limited to electronic flight decks, this book does not explain them in detail.

Global Positioning System

Being modern high-tech instruments, electronic flight decks incorporate functions of the Global Positioning System (GPS). Because GPS is not limited to electronic flight decks, this book does not explain it in detail.

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Chapter 2

Airbus A320 Neo

Airbus was a pioneer in electronic instruments and systems for commercial aircraft, and it remains an industry leader in high technology. The A320 Neo modeled in MSFS 2020 features an accurate representation of important glass instruments.

A Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Navigation Display (ND) are directly in front of the captain and first officer, and both pilots can control all. When anything is changed by pilots in one PFD or ND, it is simultaneously changed in the other. Two Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) displays are in the middle, and both pilots use the same controls for them. Each pilot has a Multifunction Control Display Unit (MCDU), and changes made by either pilot affect the other pilot’s MCDU.

Primary Flight Display

The Airbus PFD is typical with airspeed indicator on the left, attitude indicator in the middle, and altimeter and vertical speed indicator on the right. Other needed information is above and below these indicators.

A320 Neo Primary Flight Display

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The Airspeed Indicator (ASI) is on the left as a moving tape. Instead of an Angle of Attack (AOA) gauge, Airbus uses symbols on the ASI. The following are common examples.

The lower red bar indicates insufficient airspeed for flight. It prevails when the aircraft is parked, taxiing, and during the initial take-off roll. It reduces to lower airspeeds when flaps and slats are extended, and it increases when flaps and slats are retracted to show flaps and slats affecting lift.

The upper red bar indicates overspeed. It reduces to lower airspeeds when flaps and slaps are deflected, and it increases when flaps and slats are retracted to show maximum airspeeds at specific deflections.

A320 Primary Flight Display

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Amber and black checkers indicate caution zones.

A small amber equal symbol (=) indicates flaps-extension speed.

The fixedhorizontal yellow line in the center indicates the current airspeed.

The small yellow vertical arrow emanating from the horizontal yellow line indicates decreasing or increasing airspeeds. It increases in length as the aircraft accelerates and vice versa.

The amber-and-black line above the red/black line at the lower end of the scale indicates potential stall at the current airspeed and angle of attack. Flight envelope protectionwill engage when airspeed is in this zone. (It is self-preservation system that prevents the aircraft from behaving in ways that could damage it.) The line changes position in reaction to flaps deflected or retracted.

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