Trend indications for avionics systems

An avionics system for an aircraft, the avionics system comprising:

• a display;
• and
• a controller programmed to:
• present, on the display, a representation of an aircraft system as a collapsed row that indicates characteristics or status of a component of the aircraft system;
• calculate at least one of a rate of change of a value of the component of the aircraft and variance from equilibrium;
• determine whether the value has a trend by which the value will exit a predetermined normal operating range within a predetermined time based on at least one of the rate of change of the value and the variance from equilibrium;
• indicate on the display that the value is expected to exit the predetermined normal operating range;
• indicate the rate of change of the value on the display;
• automatically expand the collapsed row into an expanded row on the display when the value is out of the predetermined normal operating range or when the value is expected to exit the predetermined normal operating range, the expanded row including additional information relating to the value, the characteristics of the component, or the status of the component;
• and
• automatically collapse the expanded row on the display when all values in that row are within predetermined normal operating ranges.

An aircraft, comprising:

• an operable component, wherein the operable component is configured to operate with an operating value falling within a predefined normal operating range;
• an avionics system programmed to:
• present, on a display, a representation of the operable component as a collapsed row that indicates characteristics or status of the operable component;
• calculate a rate of change of a value of the operable component;
• determine whether the value has a trend by which the value will exit a predetermined normal operating range within a predetermined time based on the rate of change of the value;
• generate a graphic and an indicator to indicate on the display that the value is expected to exit the predetermined normal operating range;
• automatically expand the collapsed row into an expanded row on the display when the value is out of the predetermined normal operating range or when the value is expected to exit the predetermined normal operating range, the expanded row including additional information relating to the value, the characteristics of the operable component, or the status of the operable component;
• and
• automatically collapse the expanded row on the display when all values in that row are within predetermined normal operating ranges.