Patent ID: 8494691

Claim:
An autoflight system for use with an aircraft, the aircraft including a window positioned forward of a pilot seat, and a forward instrument panel positioned in front of the pilot seat in the pilot's forward field of view, the autoflight system comprising: an autothrottle; an autopilot; a flight management computer configured to control the autothrottle and the autopilot; and a display device operatively connected to the flight management computer and configured to exchange information with the flight management computer, the display device including: a first display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to airspeed; a second display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to the first display screen, the second display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to vertical guidance; and a third display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to at least one of the first and second display screens, the third display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to lateral guidance; and wherein the aircraft further includes at least one primary flight display (PFD) positioned at least proximate to the forward instrument panel, and wherein the display device is positioned closer to the forward field of view than the PFD is to the forward field of view.