We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Aviation

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Flight Director?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 8,714
Share

A flight director is a tool a pilot can use to compute a trajectory and stay on path during a flight. It tells the pilot how to adjust pitch and bank to keep an aircraft in position to complete a planned itinerary. Flight directors can work with an autopilot or provide feedback to a pilot handling her own aircraft, and come in a variety of styles, depending on the manufacturer. Many flight simulators also have a flight director available for people who want to use it.

This device works with the attitude indicator, which measures the pitch and bank of the aircraft, projecting it against an artificial horizon so pilots know where they are in relation to the earth. The flight director takes planned information about the route and tells the pilot when to bank the plane right or left, and when to raise the nose up or down, to keep the plane on track. It provides visual cues on the attitude indicator to help the pilot adjust the path of the plane's flight.

When the plane is on course, the cross hairs of the flight director will be centered on the attitude indicator. If the plane needs to bank, the vertical bar will move, telling the pilot he needs to adjust the course, and the device will also provide information about how many degrees to bank. Once the plane is settled, the bar will move back to the center. Likewise, the horizontal bar, indicating pitch, can also move to tell the pilot to move the nose of the aircraft up or down.

The flight director is one among a large number of tools pilots can use to navigate more safely and reliably. People receive training in how to use these tools when they learn to fly, and can get in-depth training on how to use instruments if they want to receive an instrument flight rating, allowing them to fly in more places and in a wider variety of conditions. Like other components of the navigation system, technicians need to periodically inspect it to make sure it is computing and displaying data correctly, to prevent accidents.

If a plane does not have a flight director, people can install one. The length of time required for installation varies, depending on the aircraft, and may be part of a cockpit overhaul, where people replace multiple instruments and controls to bring the cockpit up to date.

Share
WikiMotors is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WikiMotors researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wikimotors.org/what-is-a-flight-director.htm
Copy this link
WikiMotors, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WikiMotors, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.