Cockpit

One click is all it takes
High tech in the cockpit

One click on a point in the cockpit display is all it takes for Ingo Tegtmeyer, a Lufthansa captain, to open up a menu that is virtually unparalleled in terms of its clarity and layout. If he wants to, he can click twice to have a new route displayed that will enable him, for example, to fly around a thunderstorm. The weather front is represented as a 3-D image.

At a glance, the experienced pilot can see his position in relation to the thunderstorm and thus avoid turbulence, ensuring that his passengers have a much more comfortable flight. With the handy track ball (the counterpart to a computer mouse) pilots can quickly and easily access all the data they need to make decisions and give commands.

With an area of 4.4 square metres, the A380 cockpit is far roomier than the flight deck of a conventional wide-bodied jet. It is equipped with an array of sophisticated technology. On the eight displays alone, pilots can see all the information needed for the flight and the technical monitoring of the aircraft. All the systems are connected interactively in a network.

For example, if the pilot clicks on an airport presented in the display, all the relevant details about the selected destination, from the weather right through to the taxiways, appear automatically.

On two of the eight monitors, pilots can access manuals, approach maps and other inflight documents, such as the technical logbook. Even briefing information is transmitted electronically.

Because of its size, maximum overview is required when navigating the A380 on a runway or taxiway. The ingenious Airbus designers guarantee this by transmitting visual information from two taxi cameras to the cockpit. As with the A340-600, the longest passenger jet to date, two additional "eyes" also ensure the safe taxiing of the world's largest aircraft. One of the cameras can see from the tailfin over the fuselage roof and the wings of the super jumbo, while the other shows the pilot the exact position of the nose landing gear and the taxiway to be followed. All images are shown on two cockpit monitors in real time and without any distortion. The giant Airbus can thus park without any problems in the 80 X 80-metre parking bay provided for it.