The Boeing Company

Black Decker Inc.

James D Hayes

Daniel Puzio

Robert S Gehret

Joseph Patrick Kelleher

Peter D Gunn

Qiang J Zhang

Scott M Rudolph

John C Griffin, Iii

Aris C Cleanthous

Sankarshan N Murthy

Joseph G Stauffer

Richard A Herald

John P Zellinger

Rex Allen Marshall Jr

Charles Wesson

An improved aircraft flight management system includes a flight management computer (FMC), left and right control display units (CDU's) and a backup CDU. A triple redundant digital databus links the FMC and three CDU's. Upon detecting a failure in either the left or right CDU, the FMC utilizes reconfiguration rules stored in a look-up table to automatically cause the backup CDU to replace the failed CDU in operation, thereby relieving the flight crew of the burden of interfacing to the FMC through only one CDU. Upon detection of a failed databus, the system similarly utilizes structured data routing to reconfigure around the failed databuses. In addition, if any two CDU's have failed in a three CDU system, automatic data rerouting is implemented to the non-failed CDU to insure FMC to CDU communication.

Flight management system providing for automatic control display unit

An improvement to an aircraft flight management system automatically allows changes entered into one control display unit (CDU) to be transmitted to the remaining CDU's upon failure of the onboard flight management computers. Each CDU includes memory allowing it to store the initial flight plan as being implemented by the flight management computer. Upon failure of all onboard flight management computers, detection of the failures by the CDU's initiates an alternate navigation mode. In this mode, entries made by a flight crew in one CDU are automatically transmitted to the remaining CDU's and, correspondingly, to the navigation displays, to thereby avoid redundant data entries in the remaining CDU's of a new, modified flight plan. In addition, all navigation displays are automatically caused to display the new, desired flight plan.

Method and apparatus for an improved flight management system providing

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

James D Hayes