How can the FMC give you an ETA if in fact, you cannot enter wind speeds and directions into it?

Question

I mean, it is kind of important, especially on long-haul-flights, that the FMC should know the winds, because if you have on a 4000 nm-flight a constant tailwind of about 100 kn, your ATA (actual time of arrival) will probably be a half an hour earlier than your ETA which you get from the FMC on your departure airport.

Right?

Answer 1

In both the Collins and Rockwell FMC that I have seen you are indeed able to enter winds aloft data.

Hope this helps

Answer 2

No very wrong. The FMC knows the winds. If your talking about being at the ramp it's not going to give you the wind but I would think you did some sort of flight planning. We use computerized flight plans today which have considered the winds. In flight, the INS, GPS, whatever compute the winds and everything else we need.

Answer 3

you can enter the winds into the FMS.