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AVIATION - BOEING DREAMLINER 787 |
Boeing unveils Dreamliner flight deck
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BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
31 August, 2005: Aircraft maker Boeing has unveiled the flight deck for its keenly awaited 787 Dreamliner.
The deck design is aimed at achieving operational improvements and at the same time achieving cut in costs and hence the new deck retains operational similarity with the Boeing 777 deck, though it has added new features
Mike Bair, vice president and general manager of the Dreamliner 787 program said the aircraft maker worked with airlines and their pilots all over the world to ensure that the changes introduced would help increase situational awareness and would manage better the pilot work load.
Boeing said in a release that the new flight has added features such as larger display screens. The screen offer 546 square inches of display space, which is almost twice that of the Boeing 777. The advantage is that the pilot will be able to access more information.
The 787 flight deck also have the dual head-up displays (HUDs) and dual electronic flight bag. The information is displayed on screens at eye level on HUDs, enabling pilots to see flight data, while providing a vision out of the windows.
Electronic flight bags provides the pilot with maps, charts, manuals and other data.
"One of the ways we are making the 787 a more valuable asset for the airlines and the financiers is by making more features standard. In this way, 787s can be more easily moved as needed between fleets," Blair said.
Bair was referring to HUDs and electronic flight bag which the US aircraft maker has offered with other models, but will become a standard feature only with 787 Dreamliner.
Since most of the features of the Boeing 77 are included and additions are minimal, operators need not spend much man days on training pilots to navigate the Dreamliner. Pilot operating 777 would take just five days of training to fly the Dreamliner.
Many airlines rely on what is called "mixed fleet flying". This means pilots are trained to fly more than one model. Such operator would find the deck suitable for operations.
"Our job in configuring the flight deck and determining how the airplane will operate is to help the pilot have better access to information so that he or she can make the best decisions possible," the Boeing statement quoted Blair as saying.
The Dreamliner’s deck also offers new information formats like a vertical situation display that provides graphic details of approaching terrains.
Mike Carriker , chief pilot of the Dreamliner program, said the deck has been designed to provide the best possible work environment for pilots. Pilots who have flown a Boeing commercial jetliner would be comfortable with the Dreamliner, according to him.
The reduced cabin altitude of 6,000 feet is another pilot-friendly quality of the Dreamliner, Carriker said.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
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