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This glossary is written for virtual airline and flight simulation use within Virtual Air Canada Airline. It is not intended as a real-world aviation reference.
A Flight Director is a cockpit display system that calculates and presents the pitch and bank angles the pilot should fly in order to follow a desired flight path. It does not fly the aircraft itself - instead, it shows guidance cues overlaid on the attitude indicator (ADI or PFD) in the form of command bars or a crosshair symbol. The pilot, or autopilot, then manually follows those cues to achieve the commanded trajectory. The flight director receives inputs from the FMS, navigation receivers, and autopilot computers to compute real-time guidance. Flight directors are used during all phases of flight from takeoff to landing. During departure, the FD provides pitch and roll guidance immediately after rotation to ensure proper initial climb angles. During approaches, it provides lateral and vertical guidance toward the runway using ILS, RNAV, or other input sources. When the autopilot is engaged, it follows the same flight director commands, so the FD and autopilot work together as a closely coupled pair. Most transport-category aircraft have dual flight directors (one per pilot side) that can each operate independently.

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In Virtual Airline Operations

In flight simulator add-ons, the flight director is displayed on the PFD and should be used during takeoff, climb, and approach. Virtual pilots hand-flying the aircraft should follow the FD command bars closely to maintain proper pitch and bank angles - especially during an ILS approach. Understanding when the FD is active and what mode it is commanding (such as V/S, ILS, or HDG) helps avoid confusion when the aircraft does not respond as expected.
  • FCU - Flight Control Unit
  • FGCS - Flight Guidance Control System
  • FMC-FMGC - Flight Management Computer/Flight Management Guidance Computer
  • ILS - Instrument Landing System