The growing numbers of pilots already qualified on Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft will feel right at home in the A380 flight deck.

The new 525-seat Airbus airliner uses the same cockpit philosophy and operating procedures as the A320 and A330/A340 Families, while also benefiting from advances in technology for displays, flight management systems and navigation.

The A380 cockpit has eight identical large interactive displays on the main instrument panel, with cursor control provided through a track-ball. The displays provide a much larger screen area with clearer presentations, and they are augmented by a HUD (head-up display) that increases pilot situational awareness, particularly during the approach and landing phases.

See a 360-deg. view of an A380 flight test aircraft's cockpit. Available in Flash and QuickTime formats.

Spotlight on...

...braking: The Brake-to-Vacate system, designed by a multinational Airbus team, will help ease airport congestion and reduce the amount of time an aircraft remains on the runway. Enabling pilots to select a runway exit while the aircraft is making its landing approach, Brake-to-Vacate uses the auto-flight, flight controls, and auto-brake systems to regulate deceleration after touchdown. This allows the aircraft to reach a specified exit at the correct speed under optimum conditions. Air France – which will begin operating the Airbus 21^st century flagship jetliner in November 2009 – and Lufthansa have selected the Brake-to-Vacate option on the A380. Retrofits with the system will also be available on all other Airbus aircraft Families.






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