Vluchtcomputers

Vluchtcomputers are onboard computing systems in aircraft that support navigation, flight management, autopilot, and flight-control functions. They are part of the broader avionics suite and may include flight management computers (FMC), flight control computers (FCC), and autopilot computers. In Dutch, 'vluchtcomputer' is commonly used to describe these devices or subsystems used to manage flight operations.

Function and data flow: They process inputs from sensors such as GPS, inertial measurement units (IMUs), air data computers, radar altimeters, and weather radar; compute trajectories, perform attitude and heading references, and execute control laws; coordinate with actuators for flight surfaces and engine control where applicable; provide information to cockpit displays and autopilot.

Architecture and safety: Modern vluchtcomputers are multi-redundant and hardened for aviation environments. They run certified software (e.g., DO-178C) and use standardized data buses (ARINC 429/629/717) and interfaces; critical systems employ redundancy (e.g., multiple FCCs, IRUs) and fail-operational or fail-safe modes.

History and scope: The concept evolved from early electromechanical and analog computing to digital flight-control systems, expanding from narrow autopilots to integrated flight management and avionics suites; today, they are central to commercial airliners, business jets, helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

See also: Flight management system, Autopilot, Inertial navigation system, ARINC standards.