Modern aircraft use a “glass panel” or a “glass cockpit” due to technological advancements. The glass display units often have 8-inch, 10-inch, or 15-inch LCD panels. The main advantage of a glass cockpit display is that all information is consolidated efficiently. Glass cockpits contain an Integrated Flight Deck that comprises an electronic display showing the aircraft’s airspeed, altitude, and elevation instruments, as well as the necessary navigation and communication capabilities. Displays and controls for aerial surveillance, aircraft systems, and engine systems may also be found on the flight deck.
Aircraft cockpit display systems improve the human-machine interface by enabling more visual interaction through gestures. The Global Aircraft Cockpit Display System Market was valued at $1,676.01 million in 2020 and is expected to reach $2,533.39 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.3 per cent during the forecast period, according to Statistics MRC.
The use of displays has shifted from Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) to Liquid Crystal Displays. An Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) uses electronic display technology instead of electromechanical. The main components of an EFIS are the Primary Flight Display (PFD), Multifunctional Deck Display (MFD), and Engine-Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS). The first in line to be replaced by EFIS were the intricate electromechanical Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) and Attitude Director Indicator (ADI).
The setup of EFIS differs in many situations. For example, a light aircraft would accommodate a single display unit that shows flight and navigation data. Whereas a wide-body aircraft would likely accommodate six or more display units. The setup of EFIS will follow the sequence:
- Displays
- Controls
- Data Processors
In this section, we shall discuss the different display systems an aircraft is equipped with.
- Primary Flight Deck Display (PFD)
- Multifunctional Deck Display (MFD)
- Engine-Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS)
Primary Electronic Flight Deck Systems Display (PFD)
A primary flight display is an important part of an aeroplane’s flying instruments. It is standard on most commercial aircraft, whether narrow or wide-bodied. It is in the cockpit and serves as a source of data for pilots. As part of an electronic flight instrument system, the primary flight display PFD combines data once spread across conventional flight instruments and other mechanical instruments, improving on traditional cockpits to enhance situational awareness. Pilots can refer to the major flying displays instead of watching six distinct gauges.
A Boeing 737’s primary flight display
The primary flight display is a critical system because it enhances situational awareness by alerting pilots to unexpected or potentially dangerous conditions, such as low airspeed or a rapid descent rate, by changing the display colour or sounding an auditory warning, helping increase situational awareness.
Multifunctional Deck Display (MFD) in Glass Cockpit Systems
MFDs are components of the digital era of modern planes and helicopters. An MFD is a compact electronic display using modern display technology (CRT or LCD) surrounded by several soft keys (configurable buttons) that may be used to present information to the user in a variety of programmable ways. The benefit of an MFD over an analogue display is that it takes up less room in the cockpit since data may be given on numerous pages rather than all at once.
Avidyne Corporation Multi-function display EX600.
The MFD functions as a navigation display that presents navigation data from several systems, and in many glass cockpit installations, it can serve as one display unit or a single display for multiple information layers. It typically shows a customised chart on which the crew may overlay information such as the route plan, weather information, restricted airspace, and aircraft traffic; many systems use a moving map with GNSS information, sometimes in 3D map views, which supports navigation through all flight phases. The MFD may also show the aircraft’s glide radius based on its current position over terrain, winds, aircraft speed, and altitude. Newer, later instruments display in new aircraft and light aircraft, replacing older computer screen-like standalone views and conventional analogue layouts with integrated instrument displays.
Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting Systems
An Engine-Indicating and Crew-Alerting System (EICAS) is part of modern electronic flight deck systems, allowing the crew to view complex aircraft-system information in an easy-to-read format and alerting them to possible hazardous situations; Airbus refers to this function as the Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM).
Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) | SKYBrary Aviation Safety
EICAS often incorporates instruments for numerous engine parameters such as rotational speed, temperature values including exhaust gas temperature, fuel flow and amount, oil pressure, and so on. Other aircraft systems that EICAS frequently monitors include hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, deicing, environmental, and control surface systems, with engine indications and electrical systems among the critical information presented to the crew. EICAS has a high level of connection and offers data collection and routing.
The display unit systems in modern flight decks lower pilot workload through automation while improving reliability through redundancy. These deck display systems reduce the number of electronic instruments in the cockpit by gathering sensor inputs and presenting only the critical information essential for safe aircraft operations to the pilot.
Control Panels
The pilots are given controls where they can choose range and mode, and enter information through interfaces with Flight Management Systems for flight planning and automation.
The selection made by the pilots is used by the other equipment in the aircraft, and then the data buses show the pilot’s selection. The pilot is only required to enter the selection once, supporting more efficient navigation and decision-making in electronic flight decks. For instance, the pilot chooses the suitable level-off altitude on a control unit. The EFIS repeats this chosen altitude on the Primary Flight Deck Display (PFD) and, by analysing it with the current altitude (from the air data computer), creates an altitude error.
display. This process of altitude selection is used by the automatic flight control system to level off, and similar mode selections can support vertical guidance functions during climb, descent, or approach, while the altitude alerting system gives relevant warnings.
Data Processors
The EFIS visual display is created by the symbol generator. The symbol generator gets the information inputs from the pilot, signals from the sensors, and the EFIS format choices made by the pilot. The symbol generator is also known by other names such as display processing computer, display electronics unit, etc.
The symbol generator is not just limited to generating symbols; it has monitoring facilities, a graphic generator, and a display driver. Information from the sensors and controls comes via data buses and is then examined for validity.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do glass cockpit systems enhance pilot decision-making compared to traditional cockpits?
Glass cockpit systems integrate and clearly present critical flight data on digital displays, reducing the need for pilots to scan multiple analog instruments. This centralization of information, along with features like visual and auditory alerts, helps pilots quickly identify and respond to changing flight conditions, resulting in improved situational awareness and faster, more accurate decision-making.
2. What are the main differences between the Primary Flight Display (PFD) and the Multifunctional Deck Display (MFD)?
The PFD consolidates essential flight data, including airspeed, altitude, and attitude, making it the pilot’s primary source for flight monitoring. The MFD, on the other hand, can display a variety of information layers, including navigation maps, weather updates, and traffic data, allowing pilots to customize the display based on their current needs. This flexibility supports more effective flight planning and navigation.
3. How do modern flight deck systems contribute to flight safety and reliability?
Modern flight deck systems use automation and redundancy to reduce pilot workload and minimize human error. Systems like EICAS (Engine-Indicating and Crew Alerting System) monitor and alert crews to potential hazards in real time, ensuring that only the most critical information is presented to the pilot. These advancements help maintain safety standards and increase reliability during flight operations.
