cockpit
Quick Summary
The term "cockpit" refers to the area in an aircraft from which the pilot controls its flight. While its exact origin is debated, popular theories link it to the pit used for cockfighting, possibly referencing a London theater named "The Cockpit" or the chaotic, combat-prone spaces soldiers and sailors called cockpits. Another theory suggests it derives from maritime usage, where a coxswain steered small boats from a "cockpit".1
Modern aircraft cockpits, especially in commercial airliners, are highly automated "glass cockpits" featuring electronic displays that present vast amounts of flight information. These systems, driven by computer technology, have shifted the pilot's role from direct control to that of a systems manager.234
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airplane…crew, passengers, and cargo; the cockpit is the area from which the pilot operates the controls and instruments to fly the plane.
Read More…crew, passengers, and cargo; the cockpit is the area from which the pilot operates the controls and instruments to fly the plane.
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…contrast, have fully automated “glass cockpits” in which a tremendous array of information is continually presented on cathode-ray tube displays of the aircraft’s height, attitude, heading, speed, cabin pressure and temperature, route, fuel quantity and consumption, and the condition of the engines and the hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems. These…
Read More…contrast, have fully automated “glass cockpits” in which a tremendous array of information is continually presented on cathode-ray tube displays of the aircraft’s height, attitude, heading, speed, cabin pressure and temperature, route, fuel quantity and consumption, and the condition of the engines and the hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems. These…
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