Page 19 - PDF_Flip_Book

Rod Machado’s Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook
5-40

HEADING INDICATION ON A PFD Heading Indication on a PFD
The heading indicator as part of the primary flight
display is often in the form of the traditional horizontal
Fig. 78
situation indicator (Figure 78, position X). The main dif-
ference here is that the airplane’s present heading is
shown digitally (white on black) in the heading box, at
the top of the instrument (Figure 78, position Y) .
Primary flight displays don’t have the traditional turn
coordinator commonly seen in non-technically advanced
Y airplanes. Instead, the PFD often uses a trend line to
identify turn rate, and a slip-skid trapezoid to indicate
turn quality (Figure 78, position Y).
The right or left deflection of a magenta trend line
X shows what your heading will be in six seconds. The sec-
ond hash mark (Figure 78, position Z) to the left of the
Z airplane’s present heading is 18 degrees off center.
When the trend line touches this point, the airplane is
In lieu of the traditional slip- turning at 3 degrees per second and is making a stan-
skid indicator to show rate
of turn, the PFD shows a dard rate turn (18 degree offset/6 second trend= 3
trend line whose end indi- degrees per second).
cates the airplane’s heading The inclinometer is represented by the bar under the
six seconds in the future.
trapezoid (Figure 78, position Y). Movement right or left
SLIPPING AND SKIDDING TRAPEZOID INDICATIONS ON THE PFD

Fig. 79

Primary Primary Primary
Flight Flight Flight
Display Display Display
G H I

The primary flight display inserts above show how the moveable slip-skid (trapezoid) bar indicates a slipping turn (position G), a
coordinated turn (position H) and a skidding turn (position I). These three indications correspond with the indications in the incli-
nometers (D, E and F) above.