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Which do you personally say: FMC or FMS?

Which do you personally say: FMC or FMS? 46 members have voted

  1. 1. Which do you personally say more often: FMC or FMS?

    • I more often say FMC.
      65%
      30
    • I more often say FMS.
      34%
      16

Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Featured Replies

I usually say FMS.

Processor: Intel i9-13900KF 5.8GHz 24-Core, Graphics Processor: Nvidia RTX 4090 24GB GDDR6, System Memory: 64GB High Performance DDR5 SDRAM 5600MHz, Operating System: Windows 11 Home Edition, Motherboard: Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX, LGA 1700, CPU Cooling: Corsair H100i Elite 240mm Liquid Cooling, RGB and LCD Display, Chassis Fans: Corsair Low Decibel, Addressable RGB Fans, Power Supply: Corsair HX1000i Fully Modular Ultra-Low-Noise Platinum ATX 1000 Watt, Primary Storage: 2TB Samsung Gen 4 NVMe SSD, Secondary Storage: 1TB Samsung Gen 4 NVMe SSD, VR Headset: Meta Quest 2, Primary Display: SONY 4K Bravia 75-inch, 2nd Display: SONY 4K Bravia 43-inch, 3rd Display: Vizio 28-inch, 1920x1080. Controller: Xbox Controller attached to PC via USB.

FMC refers to the actual computers and processors (which are usually located in the avionics bay, under the cockpit).

FMS refers to the user interface(s) that the pilots use to interact with and manipulate the FMC.

In summary; they are not synonyms for the same thing.

Bill 😎
FS2024 • Currently in 'GA mode' : A2A Comanche 2024 & Aerostar • Black Square C208, Bonanzas, Barons, TBM850, Dukes • COWS DA40 & DA42 • FSW Legacy, C24R Sierra & C414 • Echo Falco F8L • FFX HJET, Visionjet and P180 2024 • Got Friends A32 Vixxen • FSReborn Sirius TL3000, Sting S4 and Piper M500 • Flyboy Rans S6S • Skyward DA50RG • SWS Zenith CH701, RV-8, RV-10, RV-14, PC12 • Milviz C310R • Air Foil Labs Bristell B23 
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These days it is also “MacDoo” and in days past on the Dash 8-300, we referred to it as the UNS.

 

GregH

Intel Core i7 14700K / Palit RTX4070Ti Super OC / Corsair 32GB DDR5 6000 MHz / MSI Z790 M/board / Corsair NVMe 9500 read, 8500 write / Corsair PSU1200W / CH Products Yoke, Pedals & Quad; Airbus Side Stick, Airbus Quadrant / TrackIR, 32” 4K 144hz 1ms Monitor

39 minutes ago, RaptyrOne said:

These days it is also “MacDoo” and in days past on the Dash 8-300, we referred to it as the UNS.

 

Thought the MCDU  ("Macdoo") was more Airbus lingo and doesn't apply to Boeing for example?

3 hours ago, Bigt said:

Thought the MCDU  ("Macdoo") was more Airbus lingo and doesn't apply to Boeing for example?

I also heard a Dash8 pilot call it a "McDoo" (not "MacDoo")

As for FMC/FMS I guess I've said both and typed both, that is not an option on your poll @David Mills

Rhett

7800X3D 96 GB G.Skill Flare  Gigabyte 4090  Crucial P5 Plus 2TB

It's just "The Box".

MSFS 2024. Primary Planes: Black Square TBM850, Duke, Baron, Caravan; A2A Comanche; FSReborn Phenom; Fexix A321; PMDG 737-7, 777: Utilities: Active Sky (Passive Mode); BATC, FSLTL.

  • Author
On 12/3/2022 at 5:54 PM, JYW said:

FMC refers to the actual computers and processors (which are usually located in the avionics bay, under the cockpit).

FMS refers to the user interface(s) that the pilots use to interact with and manipulate the FMC.

In summary; they are not synonyms for the same thing.

Thank you. I've learned a few things here. 🙂

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I say CDU LOL

Life time flight sim enthusiast, current airplane owner 172P (past C182F). FAA CP/IR ASEL/AMEL, FI ASEL

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Well I call it FMC but i'm  not a real Pilot either. They really don't work well without one or another, just like Windows/keyboard/mouse without your P.C hardware.

Edited by jbdbow1970

Yah not really the same thing.

Confusing the two is going to have you saying the equivalent to totally nonsensical stuff like  "I love my Windows 11 because it has a 12th gen i9 processor" or "the Android on my phone is great because it has a 12 megapixel camera" .

On 12/3/2022 at 11:54 PM, JYW said:

FMC refers to the actual computers and processors (which are usually located in the avionics bay, under the cockpit).

FMS refers to the user interface(s) that the pilots use to interact with and manipulate the FMC.

Good that at least somebody took the effort to explain what the abbreviations stand for..

Edited by Lange_666

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11 hours ago, sd_flyer said:

I say CDU LOL

A bit further clarification;

FMC

The flight management computer(s). Usually located in the avionics bay. The heart of the operation, with inputs from the FMS and outputs to a whole range of aircraft systems, from autopilot computers and servos to comms links. ("The machine")

FMS

The flight management system. The hardware and software interfaces that pilots use to interact with and manipulate the FMC.  ("The OS, keyboard(s) and other HIDs - human interface devices")

CDU

The central display unit(s). The screen(s), by which pilots read, verify and set the required variables ("The computer monitor").

 

Worth pointing out that most manufacturers use the above generic terms, although some (like Airbus) use their own proprietary terms (eg... MCDU).

 

Edited by JYW

Bill 😎
FS2024 • Currently in 'GA mode' : A2A Comanche 2024 & Aerostar • Black Square C208, Bonanzas, Barons, TBM850, Dukes • COWS DA40 & DA42 • FSW Legacy, C24R Sierra & C414 • Echo Falco F8L • FFX HJET, Visionjet and P180 2024 • Got Friends A32 Vixxen • FSReborn Sirius TL3000, Sting S4 and Piper M500 • Flyboy Rans S6S • Skyward DA50RG • SWS Zenith CH701, RV-8, RV-10, RV-14, PC12 • Milviz C310R • Air Foil Labs Bristell B23 
TrackIR • BeyondATC • PMS GTN Payware • RealTurb • Axis & Ohs • FS Realistic Pro
9800X3D • RTX 3080 • 64GB DDR5-6000
NPPL licence holder in the UK

Nothing to add really, I think FMS as a generic term usually gets the point across among aviation enthusiasts. Like explained above, there are terms that are aircraft specific and component/system specific. I like “the box” or “the computer” but that’s related more to my line of work rather than the technicality of the correct term. 

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