Text c Flight Deck

Flight deck is a compartment that contains navigation equipment and controls and from which the crew pilots the aircraft.

It contains:

air data computer

computer that calculates the flight parameters (speed, altitude and course);

transponder

1. Instruments that, with the autopilot, control the engine power and guide the

aircraft on its course;

first officer’s seat

2. Right seat occupied by the copilot, who is second in command;

flap lever

control stick that activates the wing slats and the trailing edge flaps

control console

component located between the two seats that contains part of the instrumentation;

communication panels

panel for selecting radio frequencies on which pilots can send or receive;

captain’s seat

left seat occupied by the pilot, who is in charge of the flight and the crew;

systems display

screen that controls various systems, such as air pressure and the electric and

hydraulic circuits;

engine fuel valves

knobs for opening and shutting the fuel supply to the engines;

throttles

control levers for the engines; they regulate speed and thrust;

speedbrake lever

command stick that releases the wing flaps to brake the aircraft immediately

after landing;

control wheel

lever that activates the control column from back to front and from side to side;

control column

steering component that causes an aircraft to bank to the left or to the right and

to ascend or descend;

primary flight display

screen that shows the main parameters necessary for piloting (aircraft’s position in relation to the horizon, altitude and course);

navigation display

screen that shows the aircraft’s position and flight plan and weather conditions;

standby altimeter

instrument that shows the vertical distance between the aircraft and the ground; it is used in the event the flight display fails;

standby airspeed indicator

instrument that shows the aircraft’s speed; it is used in the event the flight

display fails;

standby attitude indicator

screen that shows the aircraft’s position in relation to the horizon; it is used in the event the flight display fails;

windshield

highly durable pane made of glass and plastic that provides good visibility;

engine and crew alarm display

screen that controls the engines and displays alarm signals in the event of system failure;

autopilot controls

device that enables the aircraft to be piloted and kept on course automatically;

landing gear lever

control for lowering and raising the landing gear;

overhead switch panel

panel made up of the switches that cut the hydraulic, electric and fuel circuits;

lighting

device that diffuses light over a shelf on which the pilots place navigation charts;

speaker

integrated device that relays audible messages such as alarms to the pilots.