Definition
The cockpit display element of a flight director system that shows the pilot the pitch and bank attitude needed to follow the commands generated by the flight director computer. It is typically integrated into the attitude indicator, presenting steering cues (commonly V-bars or a single cue) that the pilot flies the airplane symbol to match.
Plain English
The screen or instrument that shows the pilot exactly which way to pitch and bank the airplane to follow what the flight director is telling them to do.
Context Anchor
Seen when using a flight director or autopilot, especially during instrument flying, climbs, descents, turns, and approaches.
Derivation
The name describes its job: it indicates the flight commands. 'Command' here means the steering instruction the flight director computer is generating, not an order from ATC or a pilot input.
Why Pilots Care
It lowers workload by replacing mental calculations with direct visual cues, allowing more precise and timely corrections during instrument flight.
Analogy
It is like a simple guide arrow on a navigation screen: it does not move the airplane by itself, but it shows the correction needed to stay on course.
Intuition Check
Do not read “command” as meaning the airplane is automatically obeying it. The FCI displays what should be done; the pilot or connected autopilot still has to make the airplane do it.
Example Sentence 1
With the flight director engaged, the pilot kept the airplane symbol tucked into the V-bars on the FCI throughout the climb.
Example Sentence 2
When the autopilot was engaged, the FCI displayed the bank angle needed to intercept the localizer course.