![]() For example, In December of 1981, a Piper Comanche aircraft temporarily lost directional control in gusty conditions within the performance specifications of the aircraft. DVI has Aviation Biomechanical Experts that can evaluate pilot seating and reach positions. Labeling: Labeling should be accurately perceived under the operating conditions.Īnother key consideration in cockpit design and control placement is the placement of the pilot in the aircraft. This can also include control resistance, which can affect the speed and precision of the operation, the “feel” of the control, smoothness of control movement, and the susceptibility of the control to inadvertent operation. However, if one of the controls is a push-pull type and the other a rotary control, they will tend to be distinguishable by the Pilot. For example, if two controls identical with respect to color, size, shape, and, even, position. Mode of Operation: Another method of making controls distinguishable is by varying the way in which the controls operate. In general, the greater the variation in the ambient illumination, the less the value of color coding. For example, light blue, under red light, may appear black, while yellow might appear reddish white, etc. ![]() Under red lights, colors lose their identity and appear grayish, possibly tinged with red or green. ![]() Red may become a dark gray, and blue, a light gray. It should be noted that under low levels of illumination, color is greatly modified and at times lost. The green area on the face of some instruments indicates their operating range, whereas the red area indicates a dangerous operating condition. On some instruments, the appearance of a red flag indicates that the instrument is not operating properly. Green lights are used in the cockpit to indicate the position of the landing gear. Examples of color coding includes: cockpit warning lights are usually red or amber. Location: In order to ensure discriminable and unique control locations, controls must be separated by distances that are sufficient to avoid confusion among positions.Ĭolors: The use of red, orange, yellow, green and blue are easily recognized. The operator simply remembers that a knob is of a particular size. "Absolute," on the other hand, means that no such comparison is made. One is "relative" size discriminability the other, "absolute." By "relative" size discriminability is meant the ability to tell the difference between two different sizes by comparing one with the other. A distinction should be made between two kinds of size discriminability. A disadvantage of coding this way, when considered alone, is that the number of tactually discriminable steps that may be used in the operational situation is quite small. The US Air Force has developed 15 knob designs that are not often confused.Ĭontrol Size : Another way that the controls might be made distinguishable is by using different sizes. For example, a switch for the aircraft’s flaps could be shaped like an airfoil or wing, while the landing gear retraction switch might be rounded to represent a miniature wheel. Shape can be used to provide a pilot with tactile cues indicating a control's purpose. Some common coding techniques include differentiating: (1) shape, (2) size, (3) position or location, (4) color, (5) mode of operation, and (6) labeling.Ĭontrol Shape. ![]() To alleviate this situation, certain critical cockpit controls can be functionally coded to aid the pilot in efficient and correct identification. Of all the errors reported, 50% involved the operation of a wrong control. Five hundred pilots were asked to describe an error that they had made or had seen someone make in using controls. The importance of correctly identifying controls was first studied by the USAF in a survey of pilot errors. While operating an aircraft it is highly desirable that the pilot be able to locate quickly and identify accurately the various controls. DVI’s Aircraft Cockpit Design Experts understand how the design or placement of cockpit controls can cause possible pilot confusion and contribute to an accident. The cockpit figures prominently in any safety analysis because it is the one aircraft area that must meet the requirements of flight and concurrently provide for the requirements of the human occupants. DVI Aviation has Aviation Human Factors Experts that specialize in aircraft cockpit design and the coding or identification of aircraft controls. ![]()
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