Airbus MCDU
Multifunction Control & Display Unit (MCDU)
The MCDU interfaces with its onside FMGC. The FMGC may then guide the aircraft along the entered route and vertical profile, using the Autopilot and Auto thrust system.
The Flight management (FM) part of the FMGS performs that navigation functions to control the aircraft’s flight in the lateral and vertical plain. In addition the FM part also computes performance parameters for planning target speeds and altitudes.
The FM part controls the following:
Navigation
Flight planning
Performance predictions
Nav Radio management
Route management
The MCDU is the pilot interface that is used to insert the flight plan into the FMGS. A lateral flight plan may be entered by inserting waypoints into the FMGS and a vertical flight plan may be entered by defining target altitudes and speeds into the FMGS.
To enter a lateral flight plan into the FMGS, the flight crew may either enter company route or, an ICAO city pair. The lateral flight plan starts from the departure airport and ends at the destination airport. It may contain an alternate airport and route as well.
Vertical Flight Planning
The lateral flight plan consists of
Missed approach
The FMGS calculates performance and prediction criteria that allows it to build a vertical profile for a route. The vertical profile is defined as speed and altitude targets at each of the waypoints within the lateral flight plan. The FMGS requires certain information from the flight crew in order to start the calculations for performance. These are :
The MCDU is used to enter a flight plan from departure runway through to destination runway, including if required, alternate airport, and route.
Lateral Flight Planning Quick Reference
Vertical Flight Planning Quick Reference