Dr.
Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Chapter 1
Instrument Displays, Panels and Layouts
Aircraft & its crew form Man-Machine System loop.
Function of the crew is that of controller
Instruments-are the means of communicating data between systems and controller
In order that a controller may obtain a maximum of control quality, and also minimize the
mental effort in interpreting data, it is necessary to pay utmost regard to the content and
format of the data displays.
Displays
The most common forms of data display are
(a)Quantitative, in which the variable quantity being measured is presented in terms of a
numerical value and by the relative position between a pointer or index and a graduated
scale
(b)Qualitative, in which the data is presented in symbolic or pictorial format.
Quantitative displays
There are three principal methods by which data may be displayed
(i)The circular scale or clock type scale
(ii) Straight scale and (iii) digital or counter.
Circular scale-The scale base refers to the graduated line, running from end to end of the
scale and from which the scale marks and line of travel of the pointer are defined.
Scaling of marks either linear or non-linear (square, log).
The sequence of numbering always increases in a clockwise direction.
The distance b/w the centers of the marks indicating the minimum and maximum values of
the chosen range of measurement, and measured along the scale base, is called the scale
length.
Aircraft Instrumentation 1
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Quantitative displays: High range long scale displays
For the measurement of some quantities high measuring ranges are involved with the result
that very long scales are required. Example: Turbine, engine speed, airspeed, and altitude.
(a)By splitting it into two concentric scales, the inner one is made a continuation of the outer.
(ex: Engine speed indicator: outer scale-hundreds rev/min, inner scale thousands of rev/min
(b)A single pointer rotates against a circular scale and drives a second scale plate instead of a
pointer.(ex: Pneumatic air speed indicator)
Scale and Operating ranges.
Instrument scale lengths and ranges usually exceed that actually required for the operating
range of the system. Ex:A fluid system-operating pressure range 0-30 lbf/in2
Straight scale
On a straight scale the sequence of numbering is from bottom to top or from left to right.
Ex (a) used for indicating position of an aircraft’s landing flaps
Ex(b) It is know as the moving tape or thermometer display and was originally developed for
the measurement of parameters essential to the operation of engines of large transport
aircraft. Each display unit contains a servo driven white tape in place of a pointer.
Aircraft Instrumentation 2
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Digital display
Aircraft Instrumentation 3
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Generally found to be operating in conjunction with the circular type of display.
Altimeter; There are two counters, one presents a fixed pressure value which can be
mechanically set as and when required and is know as a static counter display;while the other
is geared to the altimeter mechanism and automatically presents changes in altitude and is
therefore known as a dynamic counter display.
The counter of the turbine gas temperature (TGT) indicator is also a dynamic display since , in
addition to main pointer it is also driven by a servo transmission system.
Dual Indicator displays
Operational range markings
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
Aircraft Instrumentation 4
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Aircraft Instrumentation 5
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Qualitative Displays
These are of a special type of display in which the 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 flight control surfaces.
Director display
These displays are associated principally with the monitoring of the flight attitude and
navigational data, and present it to the crew.
There must be close relationship between the direction of control movements and the
instrument pointer or symbolic type indicating instrument.
In level flight an aircraft’s pitch attitude changes such as to bring the nose up, then the
movement of the horizon element relative to the fixed aircraft symbol will be
displayed.(fig a)This indicates that the pilot must ‘get the nose down’.
If an aircraft’s bank attitude should change whereby the left wing, say, goes down,
then the display as at(b) would direct the pilot to ‘bank the aircraft to the right’.
Aircraft Instrumentation 6
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Aircraft Instrumentation 7
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Electronic Displays
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
An LED is a solid state device comprising a forward biased p-n junction transistor formed
from a slice or chip of Gallium Arsenide Phosphide (GaAsP) molded into a transparent
covering .When current flows through the chip it emits light which is direct proportion to
the current flow.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
It consists of two glass plates coated on their inner surfaces with a thin film of transparent
conducting material (referred to as polarizing film) such as indium oxide.
The material on the front plate is etched to form the seven segments, each of which forms an
electrode.
The space between the plates is filled with a liquid crystal compound, and the complete
assembly is hermetically sealed with a special thermoplastic material to prevent
contamination.
When a low voltage, low current signal is applied to the segments, the polarization of the
compound is changed together with a change in its optical appearance from transparent to
reflective.
Aircraft Instrumentation 8
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Aircraft Instrumentation 9
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Aircraft Instrumentation 10
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Head-up displays
A head-up display (HUD) is one in which vital in flight data are presented at the same level
as a pilot’s line of sight when he is viewing external references ahead of the aircraft,i.e.
when he is maintaining a ‘head-up’ position.
Used in military aviation, very high speed and low level sorties, public transport category
during approach and landing phase of flight.
Aircraft Instrumentation 11
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Panels and Layouts
All instruments essential to the operation of an aircraft are accommodated on panels, the
number of instruments in accordance to type of aircraft.
A main instrument panel positioned in front of pilots is, of course, a feature common to all
types of aircraft since instruments displaying primary data must be within the pilot’s normal
line of vision.
The panel is sloped forward from vertical position at about 15 degree to minimize parallax
errors.
Typical positions of other panels are: overhead, at the side, and on a control pedestal located
centrally between pilots.
Instrument Grouping-Flight Instruments
Basically there are six flight instruments whose indications are so coordinated as to create a
picture of an aircraft’s flight condition and required control movements: they are the
airspeed indicator, altimeter, gyro horizon, direction indicator, vertical speed indicator and
turn_and_bank indicator.
In the case of electronic flight instrument systems, the two CRT display units (EADI and
EHSI are also used in conjunction with four conventional type indicators to form basic T.
In recent systems the CRT screens are much larger in size thus making it possible for the
EADI to display airspeed, altitude and vertical speed data.
Aircraft Instrumentation 12
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Instrument Grouping- Power plant Instruments
The specific grouping of instruments required for the monitoring of power plant
operation is governed primarily by the type of power plant, the size of aircraft, and
therefore the space available for location of instruments.
The problem is more acute in multi engine aircraft, the number of instruments for all
essential parameters doubling up with each engine.
For two engines air craft, and for certain medium size four engines aircraft, the
practice is to group the instruments at the center of the main instrument panel and
between the two groups of flight instruments.
Aircraft Instrumentation 13
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Aircraft Instrumentation 14
Dr.Mallikarjunaswamy M S
Department of Electronics & Instrumentation
SJCE, JSSSTU, Mysuru
Aircraft Instrumentation 15
