FD-FMC Project presentation

What is FD-FMC :

FD-FMC philosophy is that substance is more important than form.
FD-FMC is a FMC with a no realistic look, because I wanted it to be usable by beginners. This is the form

But FD-FMC  manages Vertical navigation !!

However, it manages aircraft flight dynamics like a real Airliner (other freeware FMC like VAS-FMC haven’t this feature ! ).

This is the substance.

About horizontal navigation:

it works with the FSX GPS macro functions (thanks to Bob Mc Elrath, who documented all FSX GPS hidden XML functions).
SID, STAR and approaches are created by « FreenavDBgroup » members. Procedure are included in data files for each airports (130 airports realized today).
A free « AIRAC » file, updated weekly, add FSX missing navaidsi.

All is Free !

When an airport is in the Freenav database, you can add at your flight plan SID, STAR and aproach. You can save tyour flight, FD-FMC overwrite and update the FSX « .PLN » file.

You can also add or delete flight plan waypoints with the Gauge, and create your own SID/STAR when airport is not in the database.

- Freenav procedure includes altitude/speed constraint, holding patterns, ARC-DME.
About vertical navigation:

This is the hidden part of the iceberg.
From take-off until landing, FD-FMC manages aircraft behavior.
You can select take-off thrust, climb thrust, speeds and the gauge manages climb and descent acording your setting, with a constant thrust, and a variable pitch, to hold speed, as real arircraft !
This part is 90% of the programming code (2 years of work only for this part !).
Gauge has ist own Autopilot and A/THR code.

FD-FMC setting are :
- Select Takeoff thrust (TOGA, FLEX with assuming temperature, according gross weight and cost index)
- Insert take off runway threshold in the flight plan to have a first segment in the axis
- Mode RWY (take off in the runway axis)
- Mode RWY TRK : take off by use ILS of the opposite runway in backcourse mode
- Throttles notches as real Airbus (CL, FLEX/MCT, TOGA)
- throttles stay active with A/THR (Except in SPEED/MACH mode)
- Select Thrust Reduction Altitude (THR RED) : 1200ft by default
- Select Acceleration altitude (THR ACC) : 1200ft by default
- SRS mode after take off (Airbus safety speed mode)
- Noise abatement procedure in SRS mode
- Manage spped or altitude constraint linked to a waypoint or speed constraint linked to an altitude during a SID
- Select Climb thrust/speed until 10000ft (mode ECON, EXPEDITE and N1, Green dot speed) according aircraft gross weight and cost index selected
- Select Climb thrust/speed from 10000ft to FLight level (mode ECON, EXPEDITE and N1) according aircraft gross weight and cost index selected
- select transition altitude ( 5000 to 18000ft)
- Select Cost index, (used for ECON thrust)
- Calculation of the optimal flight level, according gross weight, trip and cost index (real Airbus formula)
- It is possible to select a second flight level with weight threshold
- TOD calculation
Climb use THR CLB mode (N1 thrust); FMC controls aircraft pitch to hold speed with constant thrust !
- Select Crossover altitude (below IAS speed, above MACH speed, 29000ft by default)
- Real MACH mode (FMC calibrates permanantly IAS value versus MACH value : No overspeed possible; fix a biggest bug of FSX default autopilot)
- Managed climb (CLB) or slected climb (OP CLB)
- A/THR during descent is in THR IDLE mode, managed descent(DES) or selected (OP DES), with FMC pitch control.
- Manages holding pattern (even with front entrance) and ARC-DME, during STAR and approaches( with data included in airport database files)
- Display information page about procedure for departure et arrival airports
- You can select approach gradient en degrees
- Approaches ILS, LOC, RNAV
- Mode FPA (Flight Path Angle): You select on the FCU your gradient in degrees
- DH/DA/MDA
- Calculation of the approach speed (Vapp) , according flaps configuration, wind component, aircraft gross weight
- FCU as the AIRBUS FCU (except CRS knob). You can preselect a Speed/HDG/V/S value

Example of the « performance TakeOff » page:

Example SID loaded at KLAX Los Angeles :

Example of the Approach page :

FCU :
All mode managed:

Mix managed/selected:

Mode FPA :

Some example of the PFD :

FD-FMC manages also :
- Autoland (with flare)
- Go Around (simplified)

PFD readings :
ON the FMA :
1st column
- TOGA
- FLEX xx
- FLEX MCT
- THR CLB
- THR IDLE
- SPEED
- MACH
- LVR CLB (flashing)
2nd column:
- SRS
- CLB
- OP CLB
- DES
- OP DES
- ALT*
- ALT CST
- ALT
- ALT CRZ
- V/S xxxx
- FPA x.x
- G/S
3rd column:
- RWY
- RWY TRK
- HDG
- NAV
- LOC
- APP NAV

Other readings:
- DECELERATE (flashing)
- LAND
- MORE DRAG
- FLARE
- ROLLOUT

White frame are displayed when you switch a mode.
All color as real Airbus (Cyan (armed/selected), magenta (managed), green (active) and white (active)

- Max speed bar according altitude and MAch value
- max speed symbols for flaps
- min speed symbols according flaps configuration and aircraft gross weight.
- « Speed bug » cyan or magenta according FCU mode, with bracket speed bugs during descent
- Green dot speed

Navigation display :
- Displays traffics (primitive TCAS )
- All knob position working ( Virtual cokpit MDL file fixed about PLN position)
- radar terrain (TAWS)
- Chrono
- displays FIX, NDB, VOR and airports

Flight model :
- .AIR file fixed (engine thrust curves)
- Flaps number of position
- « Fuel Flow » fixed
- Flight protection : Roll max +/-30° ; +18° max hold up, -30° max hold down
- Fly By wire (in the FSX limit);
- Mid extension of speed brakes when aircraft in controlled by FMC
- Aircraft.cfg updated (IAE et CFM)
ECAMS :
- Close to real Airbus
- real animation during engine startup
- Memos and checklist
- FMC STATUs page
- T.O and Landing Inhibit
Others :
- Cold & Dark
- Autobrake (with RTO)
- Autoland
- Real engine startup procedure (bleed, fuel circuit…)
- Engine failure management (bleed, fuel circuit)
- Real fuel management
- SFCC for slats and flaps

BLEED page during Startup:

Virtual Cockpit :
- All overhead switches working (BLEED, hydraulic, ADIRS, de-ice, fuel circuit Croosfeed, crossBleed, extinguishers…)
- MDL file fixed
And many things yet

Sample of a complete flight in video HD :