The evolution of Flight Management Systems

In the 12 years since Flight Management Systems first became standard equipment on commercial aircraft, this category of avionic equipment has experienced exceptional growth in features and functionality. There have also been significant differences between the various “species” of systems that were developed for different aircraft and for different aircraft manufacturers. This paper explores the reasons for the differences and describes what the main differences are. It also describes the numerous evolutionary changes that have taken place in each family of systems. Finally, how this trend is expected to continue into the future is discussed