shackone

Here is a more familiar type of single cue flight director:



The 'bird' that you refer to are the yellow command bars that move laterally and vertically to indicate the desired direction of flight. The aircraft symbol (the orange triangle) is flown to tuck into the bottom of the 'bird'.

In the ERJ-170, the 'command bars' are represented by the magenta flight directors...either the dual cue 'crossbars'...or the single cue magenta diamond.

Other than for takeoff, the single cue FD is used.

During takeoff, the black 'airplane symbol' is flown to the intersection of the magenta crossbars. That provides the needed lateral and vertical guidance.

Once above 1000'AGL, we change to the dual cue FD...and when flying it, we no longer reference the black airplane symbol. It is ignored during normal flight, and the FD becomes the primary reference for desired flight path performance.

The flight path is the green circle and shows actual flight path angle above and below the horizon. It is flown such that the magenta diamond is maintained inside the circle. The green circle is 'where you are' and the diamond is 'where you want to be'.

Unfortunately, it is a lot easier said than done.

ghilis101

wow. that looks like it would definitely take some getting used to.

Airsupport

THANKYOU,,, i was to embarrased to ask..

JetJock16

Don’t be so quick to jump, all mighty "Queen of Fr8!"

I'm not saying people don't have problems with FD’s or single cues, I'm just saying that as pilots we should be able to adapt to new technology. For heaven sake it's our damn job and anyone who can't (by the end of training) needs for find a new profession.

TankerBob

At least that FD talks to the Autopilot...

ghilis101

good point jock. but shackone was being nice enough to throw the warning out there, and some people are obviously struggling with it. that thing does look intense but with the proper training, yes every pilot should be able to adapt.

tanker bob - you may have a lousy AP and that Pacer Creg (sp?) mod may not have fixed everything, but you guys have more thrust than you know what to do with on those ridiculously huge engines

The dude

Actually, from my experience (which is limited....I've flown B-737NG and B-767 simulators a few times which use the 'cross-bars'). I found that the 'cross-bar' flight director was quite easy to get used to. Took only a couple of minutes. I am used to the traditional 'V-bars' flight director and actually prefer the 'cross-bars'. It really is a superior system in my opinion.

ghilis101

the cross bar and v bars are common, those are not what shackone was talking about. hes taking about the single cue FD with the circle and magenta diamond from his picture post on the previous page

Guard Waiver

We've got something similar in the C-130J, our flight director is just a ball that you need to keep the climb dive marker (#8) centered on. Assuming you've got your automation the way you want/need it, it's almost idiot proof. Of course that doesn't prevent me from F-ing it up all the time.



This picture isn't the best, and shows a lot of contradictory stuff (like stall warning and CAT2 arm) on the same screen, but you get the idea. Right now the flight director (#7) is commanding a climbing right hand turn. I think it makes for a pretty easy scan. BTW, Ignore the horizontal bar going through the solid circle, it's just an indication that you've got no navigation source linked to the FD and wouldn't normally be there if you didn't want it.

GW

bobloblaw

Just turn the darned thing off and hand fly it. Works great for me..