Glass cockpit
Glass cockpit is a system of cockpit electronic displays and its underlying electronics. Through the displays all information regarding the aircraft's situation, position and progress, not only in horizontal and vertical dimensions, but with regard to time and speed, as well. This forms the first part of the glass cockpit, the EFIS (Electronic Flight Control System). The second part of the glass cockpit displays the aircraft's systems conditions and engines performance. This is variously called EICAS (Engine Indications and Crew Alerting System) or ECAM (Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitor). All this information is graphically presented in a 'need-to-know' basis, however the pilot may query the system for further details of interest. The glass cockpit is present in all current airliners. It replaced the numerous mechanical gauges and warning lights present in previous generation aircraft.
History
Prior to the 1970s, air transport operations were 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 around airports began to change that.
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. In other words, the growing number of cockpit elements were competing for cockpit space and pilot attention. As a result , NASA did 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 an 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. Airlines and their passengers, alike, have benefitted. Safety and efficiency of flight have been increased with improved pilot understanding of the airplane's situation relative to its environment.
Since then, it became standard equipment in airliners, military aircraft and also fitted in the Space shuttle
Future Developments
Unlike the previous era of glass cockpits -- where designers merely copied the look and feel of conventional electromechanical instruments onto cathode ray tubes -- the new displays represent a true departure. They look and behave a lot like computers with windows and data that can be manipulated with point-and-click devices. And they add terrain, approach charts, vertical displays and 3D navigation images.
The improved concepts enables aircraft makers to customize cockpits to a greater degree than previously. And all of the manufacturers involved have chosen to do so in one way or another--such as using a track ball, thumb pad or joy stick as a pilot-input device in a computer-style environment. Many of the modifications offered by the aircraft manufacturers improve situational awareness and customize the man-machine interface to enhance safety.
New generations airliners such as Airbus A380, the Boeing 7E7 and private jets such as Falcon 900 are among the early adopters.
