Current and future developments in cockpit design.
Armada International › Vol. 13 Nbr. 3, June 1989
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Current and future developments in cockpit design.
Current and Future Developments in Cockpit Design
Are We Heading for the Pilotless Combat Aircraft? Although the basics of flying and the equipment are more or less standard for every aircraft it takes many years of training before a pilot can be declared proficient to fly a fighter of the latest generation. Experts agree that the cockpit design of the McDonnell Douglas F-18 is one of the best available today, but it also demands almost superhuman efforts to master all the incorporated features. The multiplicity of electronic systems designed to aid the pilot might actually complicate his job. The cockpit features three Head-Down Displays (HDD), each of which is surrounded by 20 programmable push-buttons in lieu of the customary nav/attack controls of earlier aircraft. A single integrated electronic engine display replaces the customary dials. The HUD (Head-Up Display) is the primary instrument for both navigation and combat and shows in condensed form the information displayed on the HDDs. Small conventional instruments (attitude, airspeed, climb rate and altitude) are retained as back-ups, while communication and life support system controls, banks of circuit breakers, etc. further clutter up the cockpit. The pilot...See the full content of this document
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