Flight navigation and engine instrumentation systems were until a few years ago, two completely independent units. In the recent years however, while still retaining their core independence, these two units have merged in that the flight navigation now accepts direct data feed from the engine instrument system. It also accepts feed from compatible GPS system.
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Flight navigation and engine instrumentation system
1. Flight navigation and engine instrumentation systems were until a few years ago, two
completely independent units. In the recent years however, while still retaining their core
independence, these two units have merged in that the flight navigation now accepts direct
data feed from the engine instrument system. It also accepts feed from compatible GPS
system.
For the uninitiated, flight navigation
essentially consists of three components ¨C
visual, radio and GPS. Visual flight
navigation usually takes place when the
plane is approaching its destination and
the pilot(s) look out of their window for
visual indicators that confirm they are in
the right place. These visual indicators
could be a famous tall building or a long
bridge or beach or mountain or something
that helps identify the geographic location.
Some might argue that in this age of the
GPS, visual flight navigation is
unnecessary. However, every pilot knows
that there is safety and comfort in double
confirmation. Also, visual indicators help
the pilot(s) align the plane more accurately with the designated runway.
Radio navigation is when the pilots follow a series of radio beacons that lead to their
destination. It is a low tech but reliable system that traces its origins to developments during
the World War II. Radio beacons helped allied pilots to navigate their way home especially
when returning at night.
The most modern is the Global Positioning System (GPS). In an aircraft, the GPS transfers
data to the flight navigation. The flight path overlays the terrain map and the current
position of the aircraft indicated via a large moving circle.
2. Modern technology has taken
this a step further and modified
the flight navigation andAircraft
Flight Instruments system so
that the engine instrumentation
copies fuel related data to the
flight navigation. The flight
navigation in turn factors in the
fuel data while computing flight
path and destination. The flight
nav has enough artificial
intelligence (AI) built into it to calculate whether the plane can fly to a given destination at
current speed, altitude and current level of
fuel in the tanks. The pilot need no longer
carry a sophisticated calculator to figure out
whether or not the plane can make it to the
destination.
In the modern age of avionics; the flight
navigation, engine instrumentation system,
the GPS etc. all function as one integrated
Aircraft Gauges system. That said, we are
still not in the age where these different
systems can each send and receive data. For
example, the flight nav can receive data
from the GPS and engine instrumentation
system. But neither the GPS nor the engine
instrumentation system can (as of today),
receive information from the flight
navigation.
As usual, the most integrated flight navigation and Fuel Gauges instrumentation systems
are manufactured by J.P. Instruments ¨C World leader in after market flight Electronic Data
Management (EDM) systems.