UFMC: Universal Flight Management Computer - Javier Cortes

UFMC Core Functions

IDENT Page

Verify the aircraft and engine model aswell as the loaded AIRAC database and software version.
POSITION Page

Enter the airport where you are located, and possibily your gate identifier. Importantly, cross-check the calculated GPS position and UTC time.
ROUTE Entry

Enter route before flight, complete with airways to save you time.
Full SID and STAR Support

After selecting the departure or arrival runway, the pilot can then select an appropriate SID or STAR procedure. These can be changed during any phase of flight for example if ATC requests you to do so.
PERFORMANCE Page

Here you can check UFMCs accurate fuel required calculated based on your gross weight, cruise altitude, center of gravity and cost index. You can also use this page to specify step-climb procedures.
THRUST LIMITS

Given the calculated or user-entered outside air temperature (OAT) the UFMC will calculate thrust limits for various derated thrust programmes. Use these to decrease your noise and pollution footprint as well as to ensure longer engine life. The x737FMC, in combination with the x737, is even more accurate in these calculations
TAKEOFF Reference Page

Enter your takeoff flap setting and adjust the acceleration and thrust reduction altitude if needed. The UFMC will give you runway wind and surface conditions as well as accurate V1, VR and V2 speeds. These can be altered manually.
VNAV CLIMB

During climb, you can manage VNAV procedures from this page. Revise calculated economic speed or adjust transition speed, altitudes or restrictions.
VNAV CRUISE

On this page you can compare your selected cruise altitude with the optimum and maximum depending on many factors. It can even, given you have entered step climb settings, tell you when you will need to perform it. For example, in this flight we estimate to step climb to FL350 only after 1701Z when the UFMC is sure that our aircraft can fly economically at FL350.
Inflight Complete Route Management

Inserting, editing and deleting waypoints is really easy with UFMC. Performing DIRECT TO, probably because a controller asks you to do so, can also be done really easily. Furthermore you can set a speed and altitude restrictions for every waypoint. The altitude restrictions do not have to be fixed restrictions, they can be minimum or maximum altitude restrictions as well.
PROGRESS Page 1

The first progress page gives a clean overview of the inbound waypoint, the next one and your destination with fuel, distance and time calculations for all three.
PROGRESS Page 2

On the second progress page we find detailed information regarding wind, airspeed and fuel on our flight.
Automatic RADIO Tuning

The UFMC automatically tunes to radios in the region, to improve navigation accuracy. Even more useful is UFMCs ability to automatically tune the ILS frequency and course for your landing runway.
Detailed Fuel and Time Calculations

For every waypoint, accurate predictions on fuel left and cross-over time is given.
VNAV DESCENT

Review the end of descent point (after which the approach is initiated, usually the minimum altitude at the FAF) as well as possibly revising the economic speed. Selecting an offpath descent allows the pilot to expedite this descent if needed.
APPROACH Reference Page

Before you conduct your approach, use this page to select the VREF speed given your flap setting as well as cross check your gross weight with MLW and the runway length.

UFMC Additional Features

Complete SID and STAR Procedures
  • Intersection
  • DME Arcs
  • Altitude-dependent Waypoints
  • Conditional Waypoints
  • Waypoint Bearings
  • Holding Procedures
Intersection of two waypoint bearings

SEA330/OLM020

This creates a point where the radial 330 from SEA and 020 from OLM meet.
Intersection of two waypoint bearings

SEA330/OLM020

This creates a point where the radial 330 from SEA and 020 from OLM meet.

Along Track Waypoints

ELN/25

This creates a point, 25nm from ELN in the bearing towards the next FMC waypoint.

GPS Waypoint Entry

N4147.9/W08745.1

Accurate Holding Procedures

Holding entry procedures are calculated and executed by FMC:
  • Direct Entry
  • Parallel Entry
  • Teardrop Entry
Route Offset

If required, the UFMC/x737FMC, can executive complete route offset procedures.
Required Time of Arrival

The pilot can specifiy a required time of arrival for a specific waypoint. As a result the UFMC will calculate an appropriate airspeed in order to reach this time. This can be extremely helpful in cases such as making the short time slot you get for entering oceanic airspace.

Pause at T/D

The UFMC/x737FMC can, if wanted, pause your simulator 5, 10 or 50nm from your top of descent. In this case you can leave your computer alone whilst you fly, yet ensure you don't overfly your destination.

Bug Fixes for version 2.2 and 2.3

  • Mach speed in cruise does not change randomly to knots anymore.
  • UFMC throttle controls much more accurate.
  • Second flight available fixed.
  • Stab trim with the x737FMC during takeoff now works perfectly.
  • Altitudes before, after and during restrictions now proper.
  • Fonts quality largely improved.
  • x737 LNAV and x737FMC integration even better.
  • Rollout and flare mode greatly improved.
  • Fixed flap speeds in the 747 config file.
  • Better tuned RJ100 config file.
  • No more accelerations with full throttle with a change in AP mode.
  • Better folder management by UFMC making it cleaner, especially for mac.
  • Fixed a problem in a certain SID type.
  • UFMC disengages on a change in nav selector.
  • If T/D reached when the MCP altitude is still at cruising altitude it remains following the route.
  • DRAG REQUIRED more accurate.
  • Step climb procedures improved.
  • Bad altitude computations during descent fixed.
  • Better FMC colour in cockpit during both day and night.
  • Custom dataref added to control UFMC/x737FMC from an external plugin.

Major changes from version 2.2:

  • Dramatically Improve in Frame rate. Basically there is not any frame rate drop now.
  • In this version you can adjust the fonts sharpness. This is done using the PREV and NEXT page buttons whilst on the MCDU MENU
  • Fully adapted and integrated with the new release of 4.1.0 of the EADT's x737
  • Quite improve the descent path computation
  • Perfectly match the altitude restrictions: Above, Below and AT (just enter the altitude /5000)
  • Speed restrictions now work in a smarter way, matching the speed close to the waypoint and not many miles before.
  • Flare and Rollout mode now improve at UFMC.
  • COST INDEX now more accurate.
  • The landing runways show theirs categories.
  • SID and STAR improved.
  • Now at x737, you have to enter the ILS freq and bearings, as in the real one. You can see the freq and bearing at the x737FMC.
  • LNAV random disengage in some aircraft using UFMC solved.
  • GSP mode random disengage in Peter Hager Airbus using UFMC solved.
  • N1 engine computation now correct, overriding the N1% x-plane computation when using UFMC.
  • New Config files and better tuned.
  • Ready for the B787 from Heinz.
  • Landing Speeds properly computed.
  • After engaging ILS, you have to enter the speeds setting by hand, as the real ones.
  • New x737FMC skin thanks to Miguel Ángel Álvarez.
  • Now you can full disengage the UFMC pressing the Left bottom Button.
  • Now you can show the small FMC's at the x737 pressing the Left bottom Button.
  • The cursor pointer will change upon a UFMC's click Zone.
  • MAC% and STAB TRIM recommended for takeoff. Only x737FMC for the 737NG-800
Copyright 2011 Javier Cortes. All rights are reserved to Javier Cortes for both UFMC and x737FMC - Website design created and powered by Nout van Zon.