Aviation Glossary

PFD

Phase/frequency detector

source: Electrical Engineering Glossary

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.

source: FAA Advanced Avionics Handbook (FAA-H-8083-6)

Primary Flight Display (PFD): A display that provides increased situational awareness to the pilot by replacing the traditional six instruments used for instrument flight with an easy-to-scan display that provides the horizon, airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, trend, trim, rate of turn among other key relevant indications.

source: FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A)

A display that provides increased situational awareness to the pilot by replacing the traditional six instruments used for instrument flight with an easy-to-scan display that provides the horizon, airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, trend, trim, and rate of turn among other key relevant indications.

source: FAA Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2)

QPF Discussion (issued by the HPC)

source: NOAA National Weather Service Glossary

On the flight deck, the display units are the most obvious parts of an EFIS system, and are the features which give rise to the name "glass cockpit". The display unit taking the place of the ADI is called the primary flight display (PFD). If a separate display replaces the HSI, it is called the navigation display. The PFD displays all information critical to flight, including calibrated airspeed, altitude, heading, attitude, vertical speed and yaw. The PFD is designed to improve a pilot's situational awareness by integrating this information into a single display instead of six different analog instruments, reducing the amount of time necessary to monitor the instruments. PFDs also increase situational awareness by alerting the aircrew to unusual or potentially hazardous conditions — for example, low airspeed, high rate of descent — by changing the color or shape of the display or by providing audio alerts. The names Electronic Attitude Director Indicator and Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator are used by some manufacturers. However, a simulated ADI is only the centerpiece of the PFD. Additional information is both superimposed on and arranged around this graphic. Multi-function displays can render a separate navigation display unnecessary. Another option is to use one large screen to show both the PFD and navigation display.

The PFD and navigation display (and multi-function display, where fitted) are often physically identical. The information displayed is determined by the system interfaces where the display units are fitted. Thus, spares holding is simplified: the one display unit can be fitted in any position.

LCD units generate less heat than CRTs; an advantage in a congested instrument panel. They are also lighter, and occupy a lower volume.

source: Wikitionary / Wikipedia and Related Sources (Edited)