Flight controls

EAP

HOTAS – hands on throttle and stick. Features a central stick with throttle control on left
hand side of cockpit. Useful ergonomic positions, allows ease of control of the aircraft
without hand movement.
DVI – direct voice input. BAE “tinkered” with this feature on the EAP. It is a device which
allows voice recognition software to control non-critical cockpit functions (e.g. radar mode
switching, display switching etc). This in turn allows the pilot to focus on more vital
operations of the aircraft, and also reduces pilot workload. Not used for any safety or
weapons critical commands. Voice commands are confirmed by audio and visual means.
Quadruplex fly by wire system. This is a system which controls all of the pilots input (e.g.
stick movement, throttle, rudder pedals) and converts the motion into primary and
secondary control surface motion. This system basically controls all of the flight control
buttons in the cockpit.

Euro fighter typhoon.

VTAS – voice, throttle and stick. This a further development from the EAP. It is a
combination of DVI and HOTAS.
DVI – as already mentioned DVI is direct voice input. Designed to cope with a nosiy aircraft
environment and high g stresses (which affect pilot voice and speech). Incoporates various
speech algorithms, and a vocabulary of over 200 words. The response time of the system is
200ms and has a recognition capability of 95%. A major downside is that each aircraft must
be trained to recognise individual pilots voice.
HOTAS – 24 programmable buttons on joystick and throttle – 12 on each. These buttons are
programmed to carry functions relating to defence and offence.
Control column incorporates a pointer device for moving the cursor around the Head down
display.
PIRATE – Passive Infra-Red Airborne Track Equipment. Completely new developed cockpit
control. This device is mounted on port side of fuselage, forward of windscreen. It operates
in two IR bands, and provides pilot tracking and passive target detection. When used in an
air to surface role the pirate performs target identification and acquisition pending
navigation and landing aid.

Tornado

Centre stick, left hand throttle control. Ease of control, similar to EAP.
Cockpit selection lever used to sweep wings forward at low speed to maximise lift, flying
faster wings swept further back.
Tornado maintains a mechanics backup system, this is due it a more primitative FBW system.
Mechanical backup system used a an emergency “get you home” option.