Computer Display Unit

This is a practical aviation how‑to article explaining CDU functions. The CDU (Computer Display Unit)— often mistakenly called the FMC (Flight Management Computer) — is possibly the most powerful and most misunderstood tool in the airline cockpit. This guide by Captain Mike Ray pulls back the curtain on the Computer Display Unit, explaining how airline crews program, monitor, and interact with it from preflight through landing, in language that finally makes the CDU make sense.

What's Inside

• CDU layout and key functions explained
• Flight plan entry and route programming
• Performance data entry and FMS integration
• Common CDU errors and how to correct them

Who Is This For?

• Flight sim pilots flying FMS-equipped airliners in X-Plane or MSFS
• Aviation students demystifying the Flight Management System
• Sim pilots wanting to program the CDU like a real airline crew

Available as an instant download for just $1 — from University of Temecula Press.

If you like these pilot briefs by Captain Mike Ray, they are all compiled into two beautiful books, Airplane Stuff: Aviation Addicts Handbook and Airplane Stuff 2: Flight Simulation...and a Whole Lot More!