FMS Question

[North Shore]

Just idly thinking/wondering today....why is it that the alphanumeric keyboard that is used to input data into an FMS is in an 'ABCDEF' format, as opposed to a 'QWERTY' one? Given, I think, that most of us are used to hunting for letters in the latter format rather than the former..

[4Stroke]

Good question. I’ve thought the same. Perhaps because a QWERTY takes up more lateral space...the ABCDEF is more logical for a “box” format.

Either way I’m still slow as a single-finger-puncher-typer.

[Jet Jockey]

Perhaps because a QWERTY takes up more lateral space...the ABCDEF is more logical for a “box” format.

This.

[plhought]

Just be happy we have letters!

Verb - Nouns???? (Actually I'm a total nerd and love this interface)



What was wrong with the two knobs? Ol' KLN had predictive text wayyyy before these fancy phones!

(*click**click**click*-B.....*click**click**click*-O.....BOOTH woohoo)

[Heliian]

There is no qwerty as you're supposed to be able to do it with one hand.

[confusedalot]

As above, and, pilots are not known for their clerical skills.

Spent 30 years using one speedy finger

[Zaibatsu]

Alphabetical fixes are only 5 letters at most, many are a lot shorter.

Yep it takes a bit of getting used to. Even though QWERTY is meant for two hands, many people will one hand it faster on a smart phone than if it were alphabetical. But these were designed back in the 1970s like my old Speak & Spell which also had an alphabetical keyboard.

The G1000 FMS seems like it could have gone QWERTY without too much difficulty, but stuck to alphabetical to be the same as others.

[North Shore]

Just be happy we have letters!

Verb - Nouns???? (Actually I'm a total nerd and love this interface)

Getting a 1202 error might bugger up a Cat11 landing, though!

[Eric Janson]

Just idly thinking/wondering today....why is it that the alphanumeric keyboard that is used to input data into an FMS is in an 'ABCDEF' format, as opposed to a 'QWERTY' one? Given, I think, that most of us are used to hunting for letters in the latter format rather than the former..

Try using a French keyboard layout (AZERTY)!

A lot of waypoints are coded using letters to refer to distance (D309T refers to a point 20 miles on the 309 radial for example). The way the keyboard is set up you can easily see that T is the 20th letter of the alphabet since the letters are in groups of 5.

Size constraints could well have played a major role - it would be interesting to get some history from the manufacturers.

The newer airbus (A350/380) have what appears to be a full size keyboard built into the sliding table.

[jd832]

It's for the purpose of corresponding with numbers in regards to DME fixes and arcs. For example DME fix may look like "D270K" on the approach plate and in the FMC, meaning the 270 Degree radial at 11 DME. Or the 010 degree radial 13 DME arc would read DxxxM on the chart and in the FMC.

A B C D E
F G H I J
K L M N O
P Q R S T
U V W X Y
Z

[Brantford Beech Boy]

Proline Fusion FMS keyboard is QWERTY

[BE20 Driver]

Don't all the airbus products have a QWERTY keyboard? Maybe that's your problem - wrong airplane.

[daedalusx]

Don't all the airbus products have a QWERTY keyboard? Maybe that's your problem - wrong airplane.

Only the A350/A380 afaik ...