Function of the IRS/ADIRU on the 787?

Function of the IRS/ADIRU on the 787?

• A. Provide inertial reference data for attitude, heading, and navigation in case of GPS outages or as primary reference.
• B. Control the cabin air conditioning.
• C. Manage in-flight entertainment system.
• D. Transmit cockpit voice communications.

Answer: (A)

The IRS/ADIRU is the aircraft’s inertial reference system. It provides attitude information (pitch and roll), heading, and navigation data derived from onboard sensors that measure rotation and acceleration. Because this data comes from inertial sensors rather than external signals, the ADIRU can keep the airplane’s attitude reference and provide inertial navigation even if GPS is degraded or unavailable. In normal operation it supports the flight control system and displays, and in GPS outages it can serve as the primary reference source for attitude and navigation (often with cross-checks from other units to maintain accuracy). This capability is distinct from systems that manage cabin air, in-flight entertainment, or cockpit communications.

The IRS/ADIRU is the aircraft’s inertial reference system. It provides attitude information (pitch and roll), heading, and navigation data derived from onboard sensors that measure rotation and acceleration. Because this data comes from inertial sensors rather than external signals, the ADIRU can keep the airplane’s attitude reference and provide inertial navigation even if GPS is degraded or unavailable. In normal operation it supports the flight control system and displays, and in GPS outages it can serve as the primary reference source for attitude and navigation (often with cross-checks from other units to maintain accuracy). This capability is distinct from systems that manage cabin air, in-flight entertainment, or cockpit communications.