The Flight Management System (FMS) is a specialized computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks.
Its main function is the in-flight management of the flight plan: using various sensors (such as GPS and INS often backed up by radio-navigation aids) to determine the aircraft's position, the FMS can guide the aircraft along the flight plan. From the cockpit, the FMS is normally controlled through a Control Display Unit (CDU) which incorporates a small screen and keyboard or touchscreen. The FMS sends the flight plan for display to the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), Navigation Display (ND), or Multifunction Display (MFD).
The HUD is not a default equipment in our flight simulators software. But it can be present in some addons.
All FMS contain a Navigation DataBase (NDB). The navigation database contains the elements from which the flight plan is constructed.
These are defined via the ARINC 424 standard. The navigation database is normally updated on ground every 28 days, in order to ensure that its contents are current. Each FMS contains only a subset of the ARINC data, relevant to the capabilities of the FMS.
The NDB contains all of the information required for building a flight plan, consisting of:
Waypoints can also be defined by the pilot along the route or by reference to other waypoints with entry of a place in the form of a waypoint (e.g. a VOR, NDB, ILS, airport or waypoint/intersection).
The FMS is not a default equipment in our flight simulators software.