Definition
A cockpit instrument that displays computed steering commands to the pilot, showing the pitch and bank attitude required to follow a selected flight path. It combines an attitude indicator with movable command bars (or a single cue) driven by a flight director computer, which processes inputs such as heading, course, glideslope, and altitude. The pilot flies the aircraft to keep the symbolic aircraft aligned with the command bars, either manually or by coupling the autopilot to the same commands.
Plain English
An instrument that shows the pilot exactly how to pitch and bank the airplane to fly a chosen path. Instead of working out the corrections in their head, the pilot simply matches the airplane symbol to the moving guide bars on the display.
Context Anchor
Seen on the instrument panel, especially in instrument flying, approaches, departures, and autopilot or flight director use.
Derivation
From 'flight director' (a system that directs the flight) plus 'indicator' (the part that shows the information to the pilot). The name reflects its role: it directs how to fly, and indicates that direction visually.
Why Pilots Care
It reduces pilot workload and improves precision on instrument approaches by turning raw navigation signals into simple fly-to cues.
Intuition Check
Do not assume the Flight Director Indicator is the autopilot. It gives steering guidance; the airplane only follows that guidance if the pilot flies it or the autopilot is engaged to follow it.
Example Sentence 1
On the ILS approach, the pilot followed the flight director indicator down to minimums, keeping the command bars centered.
Example Sentence 2
With the autopilot coupled, the Flight Director Indicator continued to show the commanded turns during the missed approach.