Glossary - P

Page.   Any one of a collection of information displays that can appear on the FMS/RNAV unit. Every page has a title and presents information related to a particular navigation topic (e.g., airport elevation, runways, communication frequencies). Pages are usually in divisions called “chapters,” which group pages of similar information by topic (e.g., airports, approaches, VORs).

PFD.   See primary flight display.

Preprogrammed holding pattern (preprogrammed hold).   A hold that is published as a part of an instrument procedure (e.g., approach, missed approach) and has been loaded into the FMS/RNAV. Some FMS/RNAV units automatically enter and fly the holding procedure when it is encountered. Others must be flown around the depicted holding pattern, usually by changing the heading (bug). Some units require switching to the nonsequencing or OBS mode so the active waypoint remains set to the designated holding fix.

Preprogrammed course reversal.   A course reversal (commonly called a “procedure turn”) that appears as part of an instrument approach procedure that has been loaded into the FMS/RNAV. Many FMS/RNAV units automatically attempt to perform the course reversal procedure when it is encountered. Others require the pilot to navigate the depicted procedural track manually or by using the heading mode to fly the depicted track.

Primary flight display (PFD).   An electronic flight display that presents the primary flight instruments, navigation instruments, and other information about the status of the flight in one integrated presentation. Primary-secondary task inversion. Situation in which the pilot ceases to monitor the situation directly and simply listens for system alerts.

 
 
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