The instrument explosion--a study of aircraft cockpit instruments

Aircraft cockpit instruments have been increasing in number since the Wright Brothers made their first powered flight. As aeroplane development progresses, new systems are continually being added to improve performance or capability and cockpits have now reached the stage where there is often little space left in which to install the monitoring instruments for these additional systems. Fortunately, the advent of electronic cockpit displays offers a solution to this problem. One electronic display can be used to present the information previously requiring several conventional electro-mechanical instruments, with a consequent saving in cockpit panel space. However, cockpit displays must be matched to the pilot's information requirements and processing abilities. If this is not done the advantages of electronic displays will not be realised and the pilot will be in an even worse position than he was before.