flight management computer

flight management computer (FMC)

A computer that is the heart of a flight management system, providing a centralized control for navigation and performance management. It obtains data from various navigational systems both ground based and on board aircraft. The system's position accuracy is constantly updated using conventional navigation aids. The complete flight plan is loaded into the computer before the flight. The computer calculates air position, fuel consumption, aircraft position, and expected time of arrival and aids crews in managing the flight from origin to destination.