History and Background – Technology Profile
How and why did glass
cockpits become popular?
Prior to the 1970s, the
operation of an aircraft was not considered sufficiently demanding to require advanced
equipment like electronic flight displays. The increasing complexity of
transport aircraft, the advent of digital systems and the growing air traffic
congestion issue began to change that notion.
The average transport
aircraft in the mid-1970s had more than 100 cockpit instruments and controls,
and the primary flight instruments were already crowded with indicators,
crossbars, and symbols. The issue approaching aviation was that a growing
number of cockpit elements were competing for cockpit space and pilot
attention. As a result, NASA performed the initial research on displays that
could process the raw aircraft system and flight data into an integrated,
easily understood picture of the aircraft flight situation, culminating in a
series of demonstration flights to demonstrate a full glass cockpit system.
The success of the NASA-led
glass cockpit work is reflected in the total acceptance of electronic flight
displays beginning with the introduction of the Boeing 767 in 1982. Safety and efficiency of flight have been
increased with improved pilot understanding of the airplane's situation
relative to its environment. Source: http://www.wordiq.com
Significant decreases in
costs due to economies of scale and overall decreases in the technology has
allowed glass cockpit technology to reach the “grass roots” level of general
aviation.
Definition: What is a “glass”
cockpit?
A modern commercial example – The
Boeing 747 – “Then and Now”
History and Background –
Technology Profile
How does it work? – A brief
explanation of the glass cockpit components
The Transformation from commercial use to General Aviation – Recent Applications