A380 IFE “window” instrument display on Emirates

[xyzzy]

The A380s operated by Emirates have a Rockwell sourced information system, including a fake window display with fake instruments: an artificial horizon, a compass, an altimeter, an indication of vertical speed. I’m sure it’s not very accurate and lags, but it is intermittently interesting for the layman. However, I have not after many flights been able to figure out one indication, a small number accompanied by two arrows which sometimes reverse direction, which I cannot correlate with any movement of the plane. I have circled it in the picture. Does anyone know what it is supposed to mean? The whole things looks well engineered, so I assume it’s meant to mean something.

A380 IFE display

[chuboy]

It is an indication of tailwind/headwind, crosswind direction, and wind speed.
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[42go]

t's a shame Air France didn't have that on their 330 on the South American route. A passenger could have got the crew to call the pilots to tell them to put the nose down, or in the unlikely event the Captain was looking out of the window in his love bunk................

[CounterTerroristWins]

Originally Posted by chuboy

It is an indication of tailwind/headwind, crosswind direction, and wind speed.
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Impossible. The true air speed is 494, they ground speed is 502, so there is a wind component of 8kts tail wind. The arrows represent a head wind component.

[chuboy]

Originally Posted by CounterTerroristWins

Impossible. The true air speed is 494, they ground speed is 502, so there is a wind component of 8kts tail wind. The arrows represent a head wind component.

It's not a navigation-quality instrument readout, there is at least a few seconds delay in updating most of the the readings - they aren't "real time".

As the aircraft appears to be banking to the left in the image, I would hazard a guess that there was actually a small but measurable headwind component prior to the turn. After the turn there is now an 8kt tailwind component with the majority of the wind still coming from the starboard side. In a few moment's time the headwind arrow will reverse to show there is a tailwind.

[student88]

Originally Posted by 42go

t's a shame Air France didn't have that on their 330 on the South American route. A passenger could have got the crew to call the pilots to tell them to put the nose down, or in the unlikely event the Captain was looking out of the window in his love bunk................

What a clever sausage you are.