Definition
A Flight Management System that uses inputs from multiple navigation sources — typically GPS, DME, VOR, and inertial reference — and blends them to compute the aircraft's position, route, and guidance. Because it draws on more than one sensor, it can cross-check sources and continue providing accurate navigation if one source becomes unavailable or unreliable.
Plain English
An FMS that takes information from several different navigation systems at once and combines them to figure out where the aircraft is and where it's going. If one source drops out, the others keep it working.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying discussions about area navigation, flight management systems, and how modern aircraft determine and follow a route.
Derivation
Multi-' means many, and 'sensory' refers to the sensors (inputs) the system uses. So 'multisensory' simply means 'using many sensors.' FMS stands for Flight Management System — the onboard computer that handles navigation and flight planning.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces the chance of navigation error by cross-checking independent sensors and provides continued guidance if one sensor fails or loses accuracy.
Analogy
It is like checking your location with both a map app and road signs. If both agree, you have more confidence; if they disagree, you need to investigate before trusting the result.
Intuition Check
“Sensory” does not mean the pilot’s human senses here. It means the aircraft system is using multiple electronic sensing or navigation inputs.
Example Sentence 1
The aircraft's multisensory FMS continued to provide accurate guidance after the GPS signal was lost, falling back on DME and inertial inputs.
Example Sentence 2
During the approach the multisensory FMS maintained accurate position even when one GPS satellite signal became unreliable.