Patent ID: 7715954

Claim:
A computer system for providing heading guidance to an aircraft autopilot comprising: an autopilot with at least a roll steering mode and a heading mode; at least one device determining the heading of the aircraft; at least one device determining the position of the aircraft; a flight management system configured to: store a preprogrammed flight plan; receive a heading vector; and determine a present position relative to the preprogrammed flight plan; and an input component enabling a pilot of the aircraft to make respective selections of the preprogrammed flight plan and the heading vector in the flight management system, selection of the heading vector, resulting in a heading command; the flight management system being responsive to the heading command in a manner that (i) deviates from the flight plan by treating the selected heading vector as an active leg of the flight plan, and (ii) automatically causes the autopilot to follow the heading command in roll steering mode.