Avionics state of the art?

[Vector4fun]

Since the FAM program went bye-bye, and nobody's offering any free stick time in their G550s or GLEXs, I have a question regarding the current state of the art for Avionics nowadays.

Specifically, what aircraft and/or systems will automatically load the correct altitudes and frequencies for DPs and STARS? (If any)

Thanks in advance..

 

[Vector4fun]

And a follow up to the above;

What could we controllers do differently to enable easier/better use of all the automation nowadays. For example, I'm told it's a few less keystrokes to go direct the next fix on a DP rather than fly a vector to intercept the course between fixes.

 

[TonyC]

Since the FAM program went bye-bye, and nobody's offering any free stick time in their G550s or GLEXs, I have a question regarding the current state of the art for Avionics nowadays.

Specifically, what aircraft and/or systems will automatically load the correct altitudes and frequencies for DPs and STARS? (If any)

I don't get free rides in G550s or GLEXs, either, but I do have access to a Honeywell system on the MD-11/10. When a DP or STAR is selected, all of the non-conditional or non-"expect" altitudes are loaded automatically. In other words, if the altitude applies to everyone all the time, it loads. If the altitude appears in the procedure as "Expect," it leaves it up to me to manually load it in. If it's based on aircraft type (Turbojets - XX,000' / Non-turbojets - YY,000') I will have to load the altitude manually. If it's based on the direction of landing, or the direction some other airport is landing, or the phase of the moon, I'll have to load it manually.

Loading the altitude restriction manually requires very little effort. Putting the "Expect 8,000' " constraint at a point requires typing /8000 and one other key - six whole keystrokes! Oh, my aching finger.

By the way, the same goes for airspeed restrictions.

Frequencies? Who cares about frequencies? If all the Navaids that defined the procedure were NOTAMed off the air, we could still fly the magenta line. So, realistically, that's what we pay the most attention to. In the background, though, Navaids are selected by the FMS, automatically tuned, and the morse code identification is displayed on one of the fancy screens once the Morse code has been received and decoded. Seeing the 2-, 3-, or 4-letter identifier displayed then substitutes for having to actually listen to the dots and dashes in order to monitor the Navaid.

And a follow up to the above;

What could we controllers do differently to enable easier/better use of all the automation nowadays. For example, I'm told it's a few less keystrokes to go direct the next fix on a DP rather than fly a vector to intercept the course between fixes.

Again, speaking strictly from the perspective of the Honeywell FMS on the MD-11/10 ...

Yeah, 2 less keystrokes. Oh my aching finger. Wahhhh...

Apparently NACO doesn't like to post the digital version of DPs on their website (I use Jepps to fly, NACOs to do this talk on the internet thing), I'll use a STAR as an example. Take a look at the MADWIN FOUR ARRIVAL at Oakland, CA(rotate 90 degrees to the right for ease of viewing). Suppose I'm on the Mustang Transition headed southbound. (I had to enter the altitudes for CUBIC, DUGLE, SHARR, and CATTY manually since they are all "Expect" altitudes.) For some reason you want to give me a bit of a shortcut. Suppose you clear me to turn right 10 degrees and join the Madwin Four Arrival. The other guy is flying, so he reaches up and pushes the Heading knob to change the steering mode to Heading, then he turns the knob 10 clicks to the left (or less if he's lucky with the fast slew) and pulls the Heading Knob. I lean over to the FMS and Press the DIR tile, and then press the Line Select Key (LSK) adjacent to the BIFFY fix. The FMS presents me with a tentative routing direct to BIFFY, and I confirm it by pressing another LSK. The FMS redraws the lines, now showing a line from my present position to BIFFY.

Now, if that's where you want me to go, I announce to the Pilot Flying (PF) that "NAV's Available to BIFFY" and he touches a tile just beneath the Heading Knob, and voila, off we go.

Here's where the extra work comes in. Since you gave me a heading to join a course, I have to set the FMS up to join that course. Follow closely, it happens fast. I press the CLR tile, then I press the LSK next to T-P (the present position it made when I went direct a few seconds ago). Were you counting? I've added 2 extra keystrokes. (Yeah, I know, I already gave that away a coupla paragraphs ago. ) "NAV's available to WRAPS" now, the PF presses the same tile as the previous example, and voila, off we go. We continue on the assigned heading until we reach the leadpoint to turn onto the centerline of the STAR headed to WRAPS. Easy as pie. If you decide to turn us 5 degrees further right, we use the heading knob to turn 5 degrees right. Done.

The extra work you might have heard about is the thought process that occurs. You actually have to think about which buttons to push.

What could you do to make better use of the automation nowadays? Well, the most difficult task is loading a new approach or arrival while already in a busy approach environment. Identifying the procedure to be used as early as possible, and then sticking to that is very helpful. Yeah, we can change from 35L to 35R on a 6 mile final, but chances are it will not be on the automation. (Yeah, I know, folks will chime in with how easy it is, what techniques they use to simplify it, etc., etc., etc., but let's talk about the average FMS operator, shall we? )

What would REALLY maximize the capability of the FMS is clearing us for an entire procedure with altitudes included. Non-FMS operators cringe at the Paradise or Civet Arrivals into LAX, but they're wonderful for vertical planning in the FMS airplane. Clear me to descend via the Paradise, and I'm in Paradise.