34.56 Flight Deck Design

34.56.2 Describe the basic principles of control, display and workspace design.

Good flight deck design should make the aircraft easy to operate, easy to monitor and difficult to operate incorrectly.

The design should take account of normal human capabilities and limitations so that pilot workload, confusion and the likelihood of error are reduced.

Control design

Controls should:

• be within easy reach of the pilot;

• be easy to identify by position, shape, size or feel;

• operate in a logical and consistent direction;

• require an appropriate amount of force to operate;

• provide feedback that the required action has occurred; and

• be positioned or guarded to reduce accidental operation.

Where possible, similar controls should be arranged consistently between aircraft.

For example, increasing a setting would normally involve moving a control forward, upward or clockwise.

Display design

Displays should present information so that it can be understood quickly and accurately.