Which statement describes the role of the Flight Data Acquisition Unit (FDAU)?

Which statement describes the role of the Flight Data Acquisition Unit (FDAU)?

• A. It collects sensor data and forwards it to the black boxes
• B. It stores flight data for two hours
• C. It generates engine control signals
• D. It displays navigation information to the pilot

Answer: (A)

Collecting sensor data and forwarding it to the black boxes is what the FDAU does. It acts as the central data interface, gathering readings from various sensors (air data such as airspeed, altitude, and pressure; attitude and heading information; engine parameters, and other system sensors), converting them into a digital format, and sending them to the Flight Data Recorder for storage and later analysis. The FDAU itself doesn’t store data long-term; that storage happens in the flight data recorder and related systems. It also doesn’t generate engine control signals—that’s the job of the engine control systems—and it doesn’t display navigation information to the pilot, which is handled by the cockpit displays using data from the sensors.

Collecting sensor data and forwarding it to the black boxes is what the FDAU does. It acts as the central data interface, gathering readings from various sensors (air data such as airspeed, altitude, and pressure; attitude and heading information; engine parameters, and other system sensors), converting them into a digital format, and sending them to the Flight Data Recorder for storage and later analysis. The FDAU itself doesn’t store data long-term; that storage happens in the flight data recorder and related systems. It also doesn’t generate engine control signals—that’s the job of the engine control systems—and it doesn’t display navigation information to the pilot, which is handled by the cockpit displays using data from the sensors.