INSTRUMENT DISPLAY

Purpose

Instruments are means of communication between system and controller so that controller can achieve
maximum control and have minimum mental effort in interpreting data. There are two types of
display quantity display and quality display.

Quantitative Display

Variable quantity is measured and presented in terms of numerical value and relative position of
pointer or index. In quantitative display three principal methods are used for display of information
circular scale, straight scale and digital or veeder or
counter.

 Circular scale

Most commonly used method and considered as the

classical method of displaying information in
quantitative form.

 Construction:

Scale base or graduation circle: Defined as a line this may be actual or implied, running from end to
end of the scale and from which scale marks and line of travel of pointer are defined.

b) Scale marks: Marks on the scale base for marking the scale, simple rule to be followed. Scale is
divided so that marks represent units of 1, 2, or 5 or decimal multiples thereof.

c) Size of marks: Sizes of marks are such that main number large whiles those in between is short.

d) Spacing: Falls in two distinct groups, linear and non liner. Scales are marked evenly or non-
evenly.

e) Sequence of numbering: Sequence of numbering is always increases in clockwise direction, this

confirming to what is termed the visual expectation of observer. But in center zero this rule is
applicable for the half way.

f) Marking of scale: Marking may be inner or outer side of scale base on the dial.

g) Scale length: Distance between the centre of marks indicating minimum and maximum values of
the chosen range of measurement and measuring along the scale base. Factors governing scale length
are size of instrument, accuracy of reading, frequency of observation.

 High-Range Long-Scale Display

For measuring some quantity such as altitude, speed required high range display and long scale
display, so scale is split into two concentric scales or uses more than one pointer. Examples:

(a) Concentric scales; (b) fined and rotating scales; (c) common scale, triple pointers; (d) split pointer.
  Angle of Observation

This is an angle at which instrument is observed. If scale is

positioned too close to outer edge of dial plate it will be obscured
when observed at an angle.

As per standard laid down, no part of instrument should be

obscured by the instrument case when observed at an angle up to
300 from normal.
 Scale Range and Operating Range
It should be easier to interpret the value considered essential to
monitoring the system. Instrument scale lengths and ranges usually exceed that actually required for
the operating range of the system with which an instrument is associated, thus living part of the scale
unused. This may appear some what wasteful, but
it helps improving the accuracy.

 Straight Scale

A quantitative display may be of the straight scale

(vertical or horizontal) type. On a straight scale the
sequence is from bottom to top or from left to
right. Advantage of this type of display is the
saving of space of instrument panel and
improves observational accuracy.

Another variation of the straight scale display is

moving tape or thermometer display. It is applied
to the measurement of two parameters vital to the operation of an aircraft powered by four turbojet
engines. Each display unit contains a servo driven white tape in place of a pointer, which moves in a
vertical plane and registers against a scale in a similar manner to the mercury column of thermometer.
There is one display unit for each parameter; the scale is common to all four engines. By scanning
across the end of tapes, a much quicker and more accurate evaluation of changes in engine
performances can be obtained.

Digital Display

In digital or veeder-counter type of display, data are presented in

the form of letters or numbers – alphanumeric display (It is
technically termed). It normally operates in combination with
circular type of display. There are two types of counter display
static counter display and dynamic counter display used in
altimeters and TGT indicators.

Dual Indicator Display

Designed principally as a means of conserving panel space,

where measurement of the various quantities related to engine
concerned. There are normally of two basic forms one in which
two separate indicators and scales are embodied in one case, and
the other, also having two indicators in one case but pointer
registering against a common scale

Colour Display

Used for indicating specific operational ranges of the systems with which they are associated and to
assist in making more rapid assessment of conditions prevailing when scanning the instruments.

Colour may be applied to scales in the form of sectors and

areas, which embrace the number of scale marks
appropriate to required part of the range, and in the forms
of radial lines coinciding with appropriate individual scale
marks. Color
sectors are
applied to
those parts of
a range in
which it is
sufficient to
know that a
certain
condition has been reached than knowing actual quantity
value.

Colour chosen may be red, yellow, and green

depending on condition to be monitored. For example in oxygen system when pressure drops to 500
PSI pointer will come to red sector on the dial indicating that recharging is necessary and pressure
value is secondary importance

Arc and radial lines are called range making. They define values at various points in range of scale.
The definitions of these marks are as follows:
 Red radial line → Maximum and minimum limits

Yellow arc → Take off and precautionary ranges

Green arc → Normal operating range

Red arc → Range in which operation is prohibited.

When applied to fuel quantity indicator, a red arc indicates fuel which can not be used safely in
flight. Air Speed Indicators have white arc which indicates
airspeed range over which aircraft landing flaps may be extended
in the take off, approach and landing configuration of aircraft.

Qualitative Display

Purpose

These are special type in which information is presented in a symbolic

or pictorial form to show the condition of a system, whether the value
of an output is increasing or decreasing, or to show the movement of a
component and so on. Two typical examples are shown in figures.

Synchroscope indicates engine RPM whether slow or fast (used in propeller type engines); its pointer
in the shape of propeller rotates to show difference of speed between two engines.

The display shown in fig (2) is a example of one indicating the movement of flight controls surfaces,
landing flaps, and air spoilers, the instruments contains seventeen separate electrical mechanisms,
which on being actuated by transmitters, position symbolic indicating elements so as to appear at
various angles behind apertures in the main dial. Flight control surface movement is indicated by
their symbols by moving at various angles.

Director Displays

 Purpose

Director displays are associated with flight attitude and navigational

data and presenting it in a manner which indicates to a pilot what
 control movement he must make either to correct any departure from a desired flight path or to cause
the aircraft to perform a specific manoeuvre. In this type of display there must be a close relationship
between the direction of control movements and the instrument pointer or symbolic type indicating
element. In other words, movements should be in the natural sense so pilot may obey the directives
or demands of the display.

 Examples: -

1) Gyro horizon /Attitude indicator – It indicates attitude of the aircraft in roll and pitch axis (pitch
up or pitch down).

2) Directional gyro/ flight director indicator and course deviation Indicator – It indicates and
directs the pilot to take corrective measure to bring aircraft on desired flight path, or to cause the
aircraft to perform a specific manoeuvre. With the help of instrument landing system, correct
approach is maintained during landing of aircraft one for vertical plane (Glide slope) and another in
horizontal plane (Localizer).

 Description
Vital flight data are presented at the same level as the pilot’s lines of sight, when viewing external
references (when pilot maintain head-up position). Data are displayed on the face of a special cathode
ray tube and projected them optically as a composite symbolic image on a transparent reflector plate
or directly on the wind screen.

The components of head-up display are

 Data computer unit

It transfers data which are to be projected on cathode

ray tube to display the data on face.

 Optical system

It reflects the data so they are viewed on the

transparent reflector plate.

The amount of data required for display is governed by

the requirements of the various flight phases and
operational role of an aircraft i.e. military or civil, but
the parameters are common to all. The format and
disposition of the displays corresponding to the
required parameters can vary between systems, for
example a heading display may be in form of rotating
arc at the upper part of the reflector plate, and altitude may be indicated by the registering of moving
dots with a fixed index at one side of the plate instead of changing digital counter.

Electronic Displays

 Purpose

By the introduction of digital signal processing technology it became possible to make both
quantitative and qualitative data display to replace into a micro processing method of painting data on
the screen of CRT. Displayed data are categorized into (1) LED or light-emitting diode display. (2)
Liquid crystal display

 Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

 Description

An LED is a solid state device comprising a forward bias P-N junction transistor formed from a
slice or chip of gallium arsenide phosphide and moulded into a transparent covering. The light
emitted by chip is directly proportional to current flow. Different color of light can be obtained by
varying the proportion of the elements of chip and also by technique of doping with nitrogen and
oxygen.

In a typical seven segment display format it is usual to employ one LED per segment and mount it
within a reflective cavity with a plastic overlay and a diffuser plate. Connecting pins are soldered to a
PCB. LED can be used as per application and number of digit comprises. LED can also used in a dot
matrix configuration.

The operating mode of LED is active.

 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

 Description

The basic structure of seven segments LCD is used. It consists of two glass plates coated on their
inner surfaces with the thin film of transparent conducting material such as indium oxide. The
material on the front plate is etched to
form seven segments, each of which
forms an electrode. A mirror image also
etched into the oxide coating of back
glass plate it constitutes a common return
for all segments. The space between
plates is filled with a liquid crystal
compound and complete assembly is
sealed hermetically with thermoplastic
material to prevent contamination.

When low voltage current signal is

applied to the segments, polarization of
compound is changed together with
change in its optical appearance from
transparent to reflective. The magnitude of change is basically a measure of the light reflected from
or transmitted through segment area to the light reflected from the back ground area. It acts as an light
passing, not emitting light as in LED.

Depending on polarization film orientation and on whether display is reflective or transmissive, the
segment may appear dark on light background (assign digital watches) or light on a dark background.

The operating mode of LCD is passive.