Definition
Electronic flight displays are cockpit screens that show flight instrument information digitally on one or more display units, replacing the traditional set of separate mechanical gauges. A typical EFD setup combines attitude, airspeed, altitude, heading, vertical speed, and navigation information on a single integrated screen, often as part of a glass cockpit configuration with a Primary Flight Display (PFD) and a Multi-Function Display (MFD).
Plain English
EFDs are computer screens in the cockpit that show all the flight information a pilot needs, instead of using a row of individual round gauges.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of cockpit automation and modern “glass cockpit” aircraft, especially when checking instruments before flight or using panel displays in flight.
Derivation
Electronic refers to the screens being driven by computer electronics rather than mechanical linkages. Flight display simply means a screen that presents flight information. Together, the term distinguishes these screens from the older steam-gauge instruments they replaced.
Why Pilots Care
They consolidate essential information in one place, reducing scan time and workload while improving situational awareness during all phases of flight.
Intuition Check
Do not assume an EFD is one specific instrument. It is a general term for electronic cockpit displays that can show several kinds of flight and aircraft information.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the pilot powered up the EFDs and waited for the attitude information to align before taxi.
Example Sentence 2
During the instrument approach briefing, the instructor highlighted how the EFDs integrate GPS and attitude data on a single screen.