Quoting krisyyz (Thread starter):
I'm unclear as to what the MFD buttons are used for on the 787s EFIS panel. Do they simply move the systems pages between the Capt's and the FO's inboard displays? |
They don't move anything; they tell the display system which MFD you want to command. Just hitting the MFD button doesn't do anything other than turn the light on (and turn other light off). To get a display change you'd have to select a page (the "6 pack" of buttons just below the MFD selectors).
Think of the MFD buttons as the display selector; it tells the display system what display you want future commands routed to.
Quoting krisyyz (Thread starter):
Or do they split the inboard display so both the MFD and the ND can be viewed at the same time by both pilots? |
The ND is just another display. The 787 has two PFD's (normally the two outboard physical screens) and EICAS (half a physical screen) that will always be displayed. The two inboard physical displays and the lower display are all divided in software into two MFD's per physical display (6 total). EICAS must occupy one of these, leaving 5 that the flight crew can put up anything they want.
The ND is one of the options; if you put the ND on two side-by-side MFD's the displays will merge together into the "mega map" that you see on the left side in the linked photo. You can have the ND only occuply one MFD (half a physical display) and put other stuff on the other side if you want to.
They can't. Only one MFD light in each pair can be lit at a time. For the display with EICAS on it, only one MFD light can be illuminated (EICAS blocks the other MFD).
Quoting krisyyz (Thread starter):
As you can see in this picture, the MFD “2” button is activate, the FTCL page is displayed on the FO's inboard, what would happen if the FO pressed the MFD “1” as well button? |
Nothing. EICAS is on the FO's inboard #1 MFD so he can't select that MFD to command. He'd have to move EICAS to the left side, at which point he'd have access to MFD 1 and then he could pick any of the display buttons to put that display on the inboard display MFD 1.
Tom.
