Electronic Flight Information Systems are systems where primary flight and navigational data in an aircraft is displayed on an electronic system, normally a liquid-crystal display. EFIS are designed to present all information necessary for the current phase of flight in a compact display. EFIS normally consist of a primary flight display (PFD), multi-function display (MFD) and engine indications and crew alerting system (EICAS) display. EFIS are the central part of glass cockpits. LCD redirects here. ... A primary flight display is a modern aircraft instrument dedicated to flight information. ... MFD Avidyne MFD used in many General Aviation aircraft A Multi-function display (MFD) is a small screen (CRT or LCD) in an aircraft surrounded by multiple buttons that can be used to display information to the pilot in numerous configurable ways. ... A Glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic instrument displays. ...

EFIS Design

PFD

The PFD displays all information critical to flight, including airspeed, altitude, heading, attitude, vertical speed and yaw. The PFD is designed to improve a pilot's situational awareness by integrating this information into a single display instead of six different analog instruments, reducing the amount of time necessary to monitor the instruments. PFDs also increase situational awareness by alerting the aircrew to unusual or potentially hazardous conditions (e.g., low airspeed, high rate of decent) by changing the color or shape of the display or by providing audio alerts. This article needs to be wikified. ...

In addition to replacing traditional instruments, EFIS allows for the integration of data from multiple sources onto a single display. One example of this is synthetic vision, a technique whereby terrain, other aircraft and the desired course are rendered on the PFD to mimic the outside view and superimpose that image on the PFD. The image of terrain is generated from a database of terrain heights and the aircraft's position, as determined by a GPS receiver connected to the EFIS. Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ...

Synthetic vision improves situational awareness by reducing the impact of limited visibility; if the pilot cannot see the terrain out the window, they can see a 3-dimensional depiction of terrain generated on th PFD. In this sense, the combination of the PFD and synthetic vision is similar to a Heads-Up Display (HUD). For other meanings of Hud, see this article A Rafale fighter of the FS Charles de Gaulle, seen through the HUD of another Rafale. ...

MFD

The MFD displays navigational and weather information from multiple systems. MFDs are most frequently designed as "chart-centric", where the aircrew can overlay different information over a map or chart. Examples of MFD overlay information include the aircraft's current route plan, weather information from either onboard radar or lightning detection sensors or ground-based sensors (e.g., NEXRAD), restricted airspace and aircraft traffic. The MFD can also be used to view other non-overlay type of data (e.g., current route plan) and calculated overlay-type data (e.g., the glide radius of the aircraft, given current location over terrain, winds, and aircraft speed and altitude). This long range radar antenna (approximately 40m (130ft) in diameter) rotates on a track to observe activities near the horizon. ... NEXRAD Radar at NSSL NEXRAD or Nexrad (the next-generation radar) is a network of Doppler radars operated by the National Weather Service, an agency of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in the United States. ...

MFDs can also display information about aircraft systems, such as fuel and electrical systems (see ECIAS, below). As with the PFD, the MFD can change the color or shape of the data to alert the aircrew to hazardous situations.

ECIAS

ECIAS displays information about the aircraft's systems, including its fuel, electrical and propulsion systems (i.e., engines). ECIAS displays are often designed to mimic traditional round gauges while also supplying digital readouts of the parameters.

ECIAS improve situational awareness by allowing the aircrew to view complex information in a graphical format and also be alerting the crew to unusual or hazardous situations. For example, if an engine begins to lose oil pressure, the ECIAS might sound an alert, switch the display to the page with the oil system information and outline the low oil pressure data with a red box. Unlike traditional round gauges, many levels of warnings and alarms can be set. Proper care must be taken when designing ECIAS to ensure that the aircrew are always provided with the most important information and not overloaded with warnings or alarms.

Advances in EFIS

In the late 1980s, EFIS became standard equipment on most Boeing and Airbus airliners, and many business aircraft adopted EFIS in the 1990s. The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA)(TYO: 7661 ) is the worlds leading aircraft and aerospace manufacturer, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its largest production facilities in Everett, Washington, about 30 miles north of Seattle, Washington. ... Airbus S.A.S. better known as simply Airbus, based in Toulouse, France, is the worlds top commercial aircraft manufacturer measured by orders and deliveries for 2003 and 2004. ... An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft (an aeroplane/airplane) initially designed for the transport of paying passengers, and usually operated by an airline company (which owns or leases the aircraft). ...

Recent advances in computing power and reductions in the cost of liquid-crystal displays and nevigational sensors (such as GPS and Attitude and Heading Reference Systems) have finally brought EFIS to general aviation aircraft. Notable examples are the Garmin G1000 and Chelton Flight Systems EFIS-SV. Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) are 3-axis sensors that provide heading, attitude and yaw information for aircraft. ... General aviation (abbr. ... Garmin Ltd. ...

External links

• Garmin G1000 EFIS
• Chelton Flight Systems