Precision RNAV Operations must not be conducted unless which component is operational?

Precision RNAV Operations must not be conducted unless which component is operational?

• A. Flight Management Computer (1 Operational)
• B. FMS/CDU (1 Operational)
• C. VOR/ILS and DME or GPS
• D. Both A and B

Answer: (A)

Precision RNAV operations rely on the Flight Management Computer to compute and manage the navigation path. The FMS is the processing brain that holds the navigation database, builds the RNAV flight plan, and generates the lateral and vertical guidance used by the autopilot and flight guidance systems. The control display unit is just the interface to input and view data; if the FMS itself isn’t operational, there’s no navigation computation to execute RNAV procedures, even if the CDU or other navigation sources are available. External nav signals like VOR/ILS with DME or GPS can provide position information, but without an active FMS to process the RNAV path, precise RNAV guidance cannot be produced. Therefore, the essential requirement is that the Flight Management Computer is operational.

Precision RNAV operations rely on the Flight Management Computer to compute and manage the navigation path. The FMS is the processing brain that holds the navigation database, builds the RNAV flight plan, and generates the lateral and vertical guidance used by the autopilot and flight guidance systems. The control display unit is just the interface to input and view data; if the FMS itself isn’t operational, there’s no navigation computation to execute RNAV procedures, even if the CDU or other navigation sources are available. External nav signals like VOR/ILS with DME or GPS can provide position information, but without an active FMS to process the RNAV path, precise RNAV guidance cannot be produced. Therefore, the essential requirement is that the Flight Management Computer is operational.