CDU/MCDU/FANS MCDU?

[quadraspleen 7]

I'm at section 11.10.3 FCOMV2 (page813) and it describes the three options listed in the title. I've only driven the 738 so far, as it's the one in both of the available tutorials, and it seems to have the MCDU. Are the other two modelled in another variant? I can't see any option in the FMC/PMDG setup to change it.Obviously not being a RL NG driver I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but I'm having a great time learning bit by bit. I'm having the odd route discontinuity and STAR weirdness with transits, and would love to be able to use the direct to and course int functions. I know it's possible manually by inserting and rearranging, but I've got myself in some muddles trying to re-hash my course because the weathers changed or the stupid FSX ATC has routed me on some weird zig-zag course. On that note and off-topic, is RC4 actually any good?ThanksJake

[Fabo 213]

All the boxes are same - MCDU.Did you try entering DIR INTC page from init/ref index menu? of course that wont help you.Open your FCOM2 on page 11.42.8, that is, 1022.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Fabo

[quadraspleen 7]

Thanks for the reply. But there are three different options in FCOM, as in my title. The MCDU, as in the 738 has no DIR INTC button, and no FMC COMM button as on the FANS MCDU - see FCOM2 pp 801-803..clearly three different button layouts, or am I being thick here? :) I know (think!) that the functions they perform can be carried out with the MCDU as you correctly say on p1022, but I was just wondering why three apprently different units are described and if they are to be modelled at all?Thanks

[Fabo 213]

I mean all the boxes in PMDG NGX variants 600 thru 900 are the same - MCDU. CDU and FANS are not used in NGX.Why the units are described - my best guess is, it was easier and/or cheaper to include them in the manual, since this is not a manual written specifically by the PMDG for the NGX, but rather a generic (?) Boeing FCOM. I guess that if you had an airline that ordered the 737NG only in 800 variant and only with FANS, their specific FCOM would only include that, no references to CDU and MCDU, and for example always referencing to two recirc fans.

[davierosoft 13]

The NGX uses a FANS MCDU (Multi purpose CDU). FANS is the acronimus of FUTURE AIR NAVIGATION SYSTEM.The difference between a normal MCDU and a FANS CDU are the colour, MCDU is black and white, FANS has the color option.Maybe the old NG for fs9 was a simple MCDU.

[Fabo 213]

That seems to be somewhat in contradiction to what the FCOMv2 document says though. Will have to find out more...

[davierosoft 13]

From the scratchpad (the page selection part) it seems an MCDU, but, I checked on my AMM and it says that the FANS MCDU has the color option.

Color(airplanes) xxx 001-020, 051-099, 101-199, 201-299, 802-816, 842-999The MCDU contains a liquid crystal display (LCD). It shows white text on a black background.§[ (airplanes)xxx 817, 818]§The FANS MCDU contains a liquid crystal display (LCD). It shows white text on a black background.The LCD uses different colors to show flight activity and modes. Data shows in these colors:

• Black - background
• White - default color for text
• Magenta - active waypoint, active speed target and active altitude target in flight plan
• Green - actively tuned VOR, ILS and DME data (frequency, station ID and course). Also, green will be used for data fields that can be toggled on and off in which case the active state is green
• Amber - FMC mismatch indications on maintenance BITE pages
• Cyan - Inactive route page titles
• Shaded white - data that modifies the flight plan until the EXEC key is pushed.

The MCDU shows this data in white:

• Text
• Scratchpad messages
• Header line titles
• Box prompts
• Dashes, except when the dash is an integral part of the data field (i.e. negative temperature) in which case it will be the same color as the data
• Slashes, except when the slash has data on both sides in which case it will be the same color as the data.

[davierosoft 13]

The FMC option: CDU COLOR is only avaiable on FANS MCDU:

CDU COLOR - This option enables the use of color displays on the LCD FANS MCDUs.

And, in the test pages on the real one, testing the colors of an MCDU will result in some white/gray colors, while on the FANS colors are visible.

FANS MCDU Color Test PageLine 1L shows the RED prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color red.Line 2L shows the GREEN prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color green.Line 3L shows the BLUE prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color blue.Line 4L shows the AMBER prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color amber.Line 5L shows the MAGENTA prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color magenta.Line 6L shows the INDEX prompt. This selects the CDU MAINT BITE INDEX page.Line 1R shows the CYAN prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color cyan.Line 2R shows the WHITE prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color white.Line 3R shows the GRAY SCALE prompt. This selects a display of the eight brightness levels for the gray scale.Line 4R shows the CHECKERBOARD prompt. This selects a full screen display of a black and white checkerboard pattern.Push the LSK a second time to return the MCDU screen to normal.

MCDU Color Test PageLine 6L shows the INDEX prompt. This selects the CDU MAINT BITE INDEX page.Line 2R shows the WHITE prompt. This selects a full screen display of the color white.Line 3R shows the GRAY SCALE prompt. This selects a display of the eight brightness levels for the gray scale.Line 4R shows the CHECKERBOARD prompt. This selects a full screen display of a black and white checkerboard pattern.Push the LSK a second time to return the MCDU screen to normal.

[davierosoft 13]

I've seen only mcdus so, I'm not to much familiar with the FANS one, but reading from manual, that's it. There is something different written on the FCOM as the "color" is given as a separate option, I don't know why, and the NGX uses a keyboard configuration of a MCDU... Hope that someone with "fresh" knowledge about the newer systems could enlight us and clearing all the doubts

[Fabo 213]

Now that is confusing.

FMCS - FANS Capable MCDU With ATC KeyboardThis selection installs two multipurposecontrol display units with future air navigationsystem (FANS) compatible keyboards in lieu ofthe two existing MCDUs with standardkeyboards.

Granted my document is a bit older, but still... Color Operation seems to be a whole other option. Do you have access to this document in your airline? Maybe we can compare revisions.

[davierosoft 13]

We have no more NGs in the fleet from several years :(My own is a very old one, it is dated Feb. 2004.

[Fabo 213]

In conclusion, it seems to me:CDU/MCDU/FANS is a software change, rather than hardware change. With regard to those software changes, some minor hardware changes, in the shape of what keys are available on the keyboard, are required.You need an MCDU to use some options, such as ACARS.You need an MCDU option to activate FANS features, but that will also require a further HW change (keyboard)Maybe CDU and MCDU are somewhat hardware different. To me it seems like DOS can only run one program (CDU - FMC interface) while Windows can run more (FMC interface and ACARS, FANS...)Maybe color option is required for FANS option and that is why it is activated in your fleet in 817, 818, while color operation is not activated in others. From wording it seems that color operation is available for CDU equipped airplanes.Did you change airline? IIRC you mentioned you were working for AirOne. Now I look at it, they never had NGs, just classics.

[davierosoft 13]

Airone had 2 NGs for a very short period (before buying CRJs and A320), one of them was EI-CXP, ex SAS planes with ACARS installed.I don't think CDU and MCDU ave a color LCD. Normally they are options and their cost will vary.Also, in the maintenance menu the color test, if all are color LCD, all must contain the test for each color, It is needed for an LCD to check for death pixels.As you understood the difference from a CDU and MCDU is the "multitasking" like on windows, the MCDU is used for FMS purpose and for other systems like ACARS and ACMS (aircraft monitoring system).Also most of the classic have an MCDU installed and it is a monochromatic green catodic tube display.