Unfortunately for pilots, first-generation planes did not have any display of vital statistics. Initially, motion, elevation, and engine information were all shown using simple analog monitors. Modern airplanes feature more sensors and digital displays. The usage of flat panels in the cockpit came about because of the necessity to separately display a wide range of engine statistics, such as control technologies, flight characteristics, weapons, and focusing mechanisms (Sakshibhakhra, 2019). It may be challenging for a crew to view these displays and collect all the necessary information, even if many of them are inactive while the systems are functioning correctly (Cockburn et al., 2017). Data technologies are required to be made more efficient and user-friendly to ensure the safety of aircrew and passengers. It is a continuous procedure, yet there are specific recurring patterns. When the best materials are used for three decades or more, upgrades to the aircraft’s systems are put off.
Merits of Flat Panel Displays
There exist main principles for optimizing informational display in modern airplane cockpit layouts. The idea is to deliver crucial utmost accuracy visual feedback with a graphic display as a standard on one or more flat displays since it is much more effective to gaze in one or two places than at several signals and gauges (Sakshibhakhra, 2019). In addition to flight statistics, such displays may also show information from the ground, such as augmented or virtual awareness technologies. For facilitating monitoring, only pertinent information is shown continually (Cockburn et al., 2017). There is no constant display of warning messages; they are only shown when required. The pilot may notice the warning immediately despite the typical aural cues because of the significant characteristic of flat display screens and the ability to enlarge the provided information, such as in alert circumstances.
In addition to the standard radio contact, these displays provide two-way monitoring of the surroundings, the projection, and the receipt of visual feedback from instruction or command centers (Sakshibhakhra, 2019). In addition to creating high-quality digital images, flat panel monitors are aesthetically pleasing and have a very compact design. They can play full-motion video without any artifacts or contrast loss, use full-color display technology, use less power, and provide the largest image possible in the smallest possible space. To conclude, flat panel displays help improve pilots’ ability to acquire images and make it easier for them to make sound decisions under pressure.
Drawbacks of Flat Panel Displays
Enormous proportions, notably altitude, pressure science, and especially electrostatic disturbance preceding its functioning, were significant limitations for aviation technology (Sakshibhakhra, 2019). However, isolated system lighting in the cockpit and extremely robust printout reliability needed for the pilot to avoid committing an erroneous readout make the indirect adoption of flat panels used in Television screens or computing displays in flying objects not so easy (Sakshibhakhra, 2019). Due to the almost vertical sight orientation and dual panels for a co-pilot, the relatively narrow viewing angle of flat panel displays is a significant issue (Cockburn et al., 2017). Finally, thermostatic controls make up for the narrow operating temperature range of the flat-panel display. They may also be more extensive and denser than other display types, offer slower reaction times, and have higher reproduction frequencies than are now available.
Modern planes tend to have fewer indicators and displays, especially electrostatic ones, to improve the information system in the cockpit. Large, flat, multipurpose displays are better than single gauges because they can be used for more than one thing. Lastly, information is shown in digital or graphic form, which makes it easier to read than traditional analog gauges. People like LCD technology, which is often used with micromirror projection devices.
Reference
Cockburn, A., Gutwin, C., Palanque, P., Deleris, Y., Trask, C., Coveney, A., Yung, M. & MacLean, K. (2017). Turbulent touch: Touchscreen input for cockpit flight displays. ACM, New York, pp. 6742-6753.
Sakshibhakhra. (2019). Flat Panel Display. GeeksforGeeks. Web.