Apparatus including computer control and voice repetition of digital setting messages

Control apparatus for an aircraft having an automatic pilot comprising:

• at least one digital computer,
• a plurality of order-issuing devices carried by a control panel of the automatic pilot and provided with means for manually inputting settings and for issuing the settings in the form of digital messages each comprising a data portion and a label word identifying a nature of the digital message, the messages being in standardized ARINC format;
• a plurality of actuators for executing the settings under the control of said digital computer;
• decoding means for decoding the digital messages issued by the order-issuing devices and providing decoded versions of said digital messages, said decoding means including storage means containing a correspondence table defining the nature of a controlled parameter and a meaning of the data portion from said label word, and defining a value of said controlled parameter from contents of said data portion;
• and
• voice synthesis means, connected to receive said decoded versions, for providing a voice announcement specifying, in plain language, any one of said settings as actually inputted responsive to inputting thereof into said order-issuing devices, said voice synthesis means forming said voice announcement by combining a plurality of language elements including an element indicating said value;
• and
• a cockpit sound recorder, whereby maneuvers displayed on the order-issuing devices of the control panel of the automatic pilot are recorded in voice form.