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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.
The Mode Control Panel is the glareshield-mounted control interface on Boeing aircraft through which the crew commands the autopilot, autothrottle, and flight director. The MCP contains knobs and selectors for target values - airspeed, heading, altitude, and vertical speed - along with pushbuttons that activate specific autopilot modes such as LNAV, VNAV, LOC, APP, and altitude hold. Changes made on the MCP take effect immediately in the Flight Management Computer and the autopilot system, and the selected values are displayed on the MCP itself and referenced by the flight directors on the Primary Flight Display. The MCP on Boeing aircraft is roughly equivalent in function to the Flight Control Unit (FCU) on Airbus aircraft, though the underlying autopilot logic and control philosophy differ between the two manufacturers. On the Boeing 737, 747, 767, 777, and 787, the MCP is the crew’s primary interface for autopilot management during all phases of flight. Selecting the correct mode sequence - for example, engaging LNAV and VNAV after takeoff, transitioning to APP mode on the ILS, and then arming autoland - requires a thorough understanding of how MCP inputs translate into autopilot behavior and how the aircraft annunciates active versus armed modes.

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In Virtual Airline Operations

The MCP is one of the most-used controls in any Boeing simulation at Virtual Air Canada Airline. Correctly managing MCP modes throughout the flight profile - from initial climb mode selection through cruise management to approach mode arming - is a core competency for crews flying Boeing types. Most high-fidelity Boeing add-ons replicate the MCP in full, and understanding its logic prevents common errors such as improper mode sequencing, over-riding the FMS inadvertently, or failing to arm the correct approach mode before the intercept.
  • LNAV - Lateral Navigation
  • VNAV - Vertical Navigation
  • ILS - Instrument Landing System