FlightDeck -Cockpit 737

 

Flight Management Computer (FMC)

 

The Flight Management Computer (FMC) is an advanced avionics system used in modern aircraft to assist pilots with flight planning and navigation. It integrates various aspects of flight management, ensuring efficiency, safety, and accuracy throughout the journey. Here’s how it works:

1. Flight Planning:

The FMC allows pilots to input the flight route, including departure and destination airports, waypoints, and alternate routes. It also calculates the most efficient path based on weather, air traffic, and aircraft performance.

2. Navigation:

Using data from GPS, inertial navigation systems (IRS), and other sensors, the FMC provides precise navigation guidance. It automatically adjusts the flight path to stay on course.

3. Performance Management:

The system calculates critical flight parameters, such as optimal speed, altitude, and fuel consumption, ensuring a balance between efficiency and performance.

4. Automation:

The FMC interfaces with the autopilot to automate tasks like climbing, cruising, and descending. This reduces the pilot’s workload and ensures smooth operation.

5. Updates:

Real-time information like weather updates, wind conditions, and air traffic restrictions can be integrated into the FMC, allowing dynamic adjustments to the flight plan.

A Flight Management Computer (FMC) is a system that helps pilots navigate, control, and optimize an aircraft's flight: 

• Navigation

  The FMC uses a navigation database and sensor information to create a flight plan and chart the aircraft's course. It can also program routes from takeoff to landing.
• Control

  The FMC interfaces with the autopilot to automatically control the aircraft's altitude, heading, and speed.
• Optimization

  The FMC monitors the aircraft's performance, such as fuel consumption and engine efficiency, to optimize the flight profile.
• Database management

  The FMC maintains a database of navigation information, including airports, runways, airways, and waypoints.
• Integration

  The FMC integrates with other systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS), to gather real-time data.

The FMC is part of the Flight Management System (FMS), which also includes the autopilot, flight director, autothrottle, and flight control computer. FMSs are used in both small private aircraft and large commercial jetliners

GUMPS

 

• G: Gas: Check that the fuel is in the correct tank, the fuel pump is on, and there is positive fuel pressure 
• U: Undercarriage: Make sure the landing gear is down and locked ]
• M: Mixture: Set the fuel mixture to fully rich 
• P: Propeller: Set the propeller to full fine if it's variable pitch 
• S: Seat belts and switches: Fasten seat belts and check that lights and pitot heat are on 

electronic bay 737

 For civil acft like B737-800 or B777-200, where is the location of transponder?

Electronic equipment is distributed at several locations known as electrical compartments, avionics bays, or other similar names, where elements are interconnected and cooled. The different pieces of equipment (line replaceable units / LRU in engineering parlance) are then connected to the cockpit, or to other locations, using the avionics network.

LRU are placed in standard racks. In general these compartments can only be accessed while on the ground through a door at the bottom of the fuselage.

On the B737 NG (-600/-700/-800/-900) there are several racks at the level of the cargo bays, a bit aft of the nose wheel gear:

Source: B737 NG, General Familiarization Manual.

Boeing uses ATC to refer to the transponder. There are two ATC electronic units, both in rack E1. Layout of rack E1:

Source: B737 NG, General Familiarization Manual.

Rack E1 on a B737-800 (without the top shelf):

Source: Airliners.net, photo by Petr Volek

A transponder looks like this (Collins TPR-901):

Source: Collins Aerospace.

There are two connectors on the back panel for the top and bottom antennas (ATC antennas location), and two connectors for the network. This model can be seen on this other avionics bay, for a B737-700 (sorry for the terrible quality):

Source: digi.no.

---

More: How are electronic systems locked and connected in the electronic bay?

Youtube:

• B737 Electrical Equipment Bay
• B787: A tour through the brain of the airplane

477 bronze badges

• 1
  Suggest adding the location of the transponder antennae. Usually on the bottom of the aircraft? 

  – Terry

   CommentedJul 29, 2023 at 21:53
• @Terry: Good suggestion, thanks. I added a link to an existing answer. 

  – mins

   CommentedJul 29, 2023 at 23:24