Importance

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Abstract

The pilot's awareness of the aircraft's state is enhanced by supplementing the flight modes area (FMA) in the upper region of the primary flight display (PFD) with additional annunciators. The FMA in the present invention displays, in the active lateral modes region, the name of the waypoint the aircraft is flying towards and, if the waypoint is part of a published procedure, the procedure name is displayed in this area. Moreover, if the controls of the aircraft are set for a specific target, then the target, along with the mode annunciators, are displayed in the active vertical modes region of the FMA. Furthermore, if the aircraft starts to deviate from the preselected altitude, the pilot is alerted of the uncoordinated condition by a CHECK ASEL annunciation which is displayed in the lower center region of the FMA, namely below the autopilot (AP) annunciator. Additionally, if the approach has been programmed, but the pilot has not yet armed an approach, the crew is alerted to the condition by an annunciation which is displayed in the lower center region of the FMA in sufficient time to allow for normal capture of the approach such that the pilot can select the approach (APR) pushbutton to arm the system for the approach.

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First Claim