Cockpit Displays & Controls

Question 1

Primary control modes and their operation.

Answer 1

Manual - Pilot achieves objectives manually without aid of computers.
Autopilot - Pilot achieves objectives manually but leaves some to be performed by autopilot.
FMS - Pilot programs flight management systems which in turn commands the autopilot.
Manual (with FMS guidance) - Pilot programs the FMS and uses it as a guide for manipulating the plane manually.

Question 2

FMS functions?

Answer 2

Flight Management System

• navigation
• flight planning
• guidance
• trajectory prediction
• performance

Question 3

Explain the principles of HUDs.

Answer 3

Refractive HUD - light emitted from point, focussed through a lens so that it is ‘flat’
Reflective HUS - light emitted from point, reflects on curved surface so that outcome is ‘flat’
Hologram production of curved mirrors - uses light patterns to create an interference pattern that causes certain wavelengths of light to be refracted as desired.

Typical military HUD is below, civil is above. This is because of military ejection seats.

Question 4

Explain the principles of HMDs

Answer 4

Similar to HUDs but on the head.
Monocular - one image, one eye
Biocular - one image, both eyes
Binocular - two images, one per eye

Head tracking is done using optical or EM

Question 5

Advantages/disadvantages of HUDs & HMDs

Answer 5

HUD(1mrad)/HMD(5-10mrad)
cheaper/costly
simpler/complex (tracking of the head, comfort, weight etc.)
Small FOV/ Large FOV
accurate/less accurate
HUD shows everything relative to aircraft, HMD shows everything relative to the pilot.

Question 6

List aircraft interfaces for aircrew?

Civil & Military.

Answer 6

Civil: Flight, Navigation, System status & health monitoring
Military: all of above, Tactical, Sensors, Defensive aids/threat warnings, electronic warfare.

Question 7

List primary flight instruments and how they are (typically) configured.

Answer 7

Essential flight info: (in a T shape) Airspeed, horizon, altimeter, direction.
Primary flight display: Horizon, heading, VSI, altimeter, altitude, speed, compass.
Navigation display: either a rose, arc, or plan

Question 8

What is TAWS/TCAS?

Answer 8

Terrain Avoidance Warning System
Traffic Collision Avoidance System
Uses standardised notation to show relative heights and locations of nearby terrain and aircraft. They are separate systems!

Question 9

List primary flight controls.

List secondary flight controls.

Answer 9

Side stick/Control Yoke (roll & pitch), Rudder (yaw), Throttle (throttle).

Trim wheel, flaps, air/speed brake, undercarriage