FMC Direct?

[teisco 10]

I see a "direct" button on the FMC and wonder if I can set it to fly direct to an airport rather than go through all the waypoints?

[DaveCT2003 2553]

3 hours ago, teisco said:

I see a "direct" button on the FMC and wonder if I can set it to fly direct to an airport rather than go through all the waypoints?

 

I was a Boeing guy who made the transition to Airbus, so I thought I'd share a little information with you on this. 

 

So, there actually is no FMC onboard any Airbuses, it's actually an FMGS.  However in both Boeing (FMC) and Airbus (FMGS), the FMC/FMGS is a black box located down in the aviations bay.

 

What I believe you mean is that you're seeing a DIR button on the MCDU, which is an input/output device that the pilots use to input data into the FMGS and read data back from the FMGS.  This is called a CDU on Boeings.

 

I'm not being coy, terminology is everything, especially when one has to search the forums, Internet or manuals for information, so I thought I'd help out by providing the terminology, that's all.

 

The fixed DIR button is indeed used to command the aircraft Direct To a selected waypoint. If memory serves, you'll find this as a selectable item (LSK) on the Boeing CDUs, but on the Airbus and some other aircraft it's a fixed button. That's not the only difference though.  On some Boeing you can enter a Direct To but if the aicraft is in heading mode it will stay on present commanded course. In the Airbus a Direct To will set the Autpilot back to the Nav Mode.

 

I hope this is helpful.

 

Best wishes my friend!