Question

Name the flight director vertical modes:

a) Heading Select (HDGSEL)
b) Altitude Hold (ALT)
c) Vertical Speed (VS)
d) Approach (APPR)

Answer 1

The flight director vertical modes are Heading Select (HDGSEL), Altitude Hold (ALT), Vertical Speed (VS), and Approach (APPR). These are autopilot functions that assist pilots in controlling the aircraft’s heading, altitude, vertical speed, and approach path.

Step-by-step explanation:

The flight director vertical modes include:

• Heading Select (HDGSEL): This mode allows pilots to select a specific heading for the aircraft to follow.
• Altitude Hold (ALT): In this mode, the aircraft maintains a constant altitude, as set by the pilot.
• Vertical Speed (VS): This mode controls the rate of ascent or descent, expressed in feet per minute, and is set by the pilot.
• Approach (APPR): During an approach phase, this mode helps guide the aircraft for a precision or non-precision instrument approach towards a runway.

These modes are crucial for the management of an aircraft's flight path and are part of the autopilot system which eases the workload on pilots during various phases of flight.