🧠 Flight Control Computers (FCC or AFCS)
FCC (Flight Control Computer) or AFCS (Automatic Flight Control System) is the brain of the autopilot.
It receives pilot inputs from the MCP/FCU.
It processes sensor data (altitude, airspeed, position).
It commands autopilot servos, autothrottle, and flight director for control.
🎛️Mode Control Panel (MCP) / Flight Control Unit (FCU)
This is the pilot’s interface to select autopilot modes.
Located on the glareshield panel.
Allows control over:
o Heading
o Altitude
o Vertical speed
o Auto-thrust
o Lateral/vertical navigation modes
⚙️Autopilot Servos
Electromechanical actuators that move the flight controls (e.g. ailerons, elevators, rudder) based on
commands from the FCC.
Used to fly the aircraft without manual input.
Operate control surfaces through control cables, hydraulics, or fly-by-wire systems.
🎯 Flight Director Bars (on PFD)
Visual guidance displayed on the Primary Flight Display (PFD).
Shows the pilot where to fly manually to follow the autopilot's planned path.
Two magenta or yellow bars forming a cross ("command bars").
⚡ Auto-thrust / Autothrottle Actuators
Automatically adjust engine thrust.
Controlled by the FCC to:
o Maintain speed
o Follow vertical profiles
o Reduce workload during climb, cruise, descent, approach
Physically move the thrust levers.
🛰️Sensors:
🔹 IRS (Inertial Reference System)
Uses gyros and accelerometers to compute:
o Position
o Attitude (pitch, roll, yaw)
o Heading
o Velocity
Doesn't rely on external signals.
🔹 GPS (Global Positioning System)
Provides accurate position data via satellites.
Used for navigation and flight management systems (FMS).
🔹 Pitot-Static System
Measures:
o Airspeed (via pitot pressure)
o Altitude and vertical speed (via static pressure)
Inputs go into the Air Data Computer (ADC), which feeds FCC.
🔹 Radio Altimeter
Measures exact height above terrain using radio waves.
Used for:
o Autoland flare
o Ground proximity systems
o Low-altitude alerting
✈️Flight Modes Explained:
🔹 Heading Hold / LNAV (Lateral Navigation)
Heading Hold: Keeps the aircraft on a manually selected heading.
LNAV: Follows lateral waypoints from the flight management system (FMS).
🔹 Altitude Hold / VNAV (Vertical Navigation)
Altitude Hold: Maintains selected altitude.
VNAV: Manages climb, cruise, and descent profiles based on FMS data.
🔹 Approach and Glideslope Capture
Autopilot intercepts and tracks:
o Localizer (lateral guidance)
o Glideslope (vertical path) for ILS landings
🔹 Auto Takeoff (rare – found in military or research aircraft)
Not common in commercial jets.
Some aircraft like the Space Shuttle or experimental UAVs have this feature.
🔹 Automatic Flare and Rollout (CAT III Autoland)
Used in Category III low-visibility landings.
Autopilot:
o Flies down to the runway
o Performs a flare
o Maintains runway centerline during rollout
Requires dual or triple-redundant autopilot systems.