Making the Cockpit Practical for the Pilot

THE safety and dependability of scheduled air transportation depends, in part, on how practical is the cockpit in which the pilots spend their time and carry on their functions while in flight.

The author of this paper, himself a pilot, has compiled here information gained from a questionnaire answered by representatives from every scheduled airline in the country.

It appears that these pilots have definite ideas on the improvements that are needed in cockpits, discussed by the author under the following headings:

1. 1.
   Cockpit window layout (including provisions for all-weather visibility).
2. 2.
   Instrument panel arrangement.
3. 3.
   Cockpit lighting.
4. 4.
   Pilot comfort (including adequate seats, ventilation, and heating).
5. 5.
   Type, location, and accessibility of controls.