Pilots flying Airbus VIP Widebody aircraft have the latest technology at their fingertips – from the fly-by-wire side-stick controllers to interactive cockpit displays and integrated modular avionics linked by Ethernet datalink.

The A330, A340 and A380 Prestige feature similar flight decks and similar handling characteristics, enabling pilots to transition effortlessly between the three aircraft types. Their high degree of commonality with the Airbus Corporate Jetliner and the A320 airliner family creates a large worldwide base of flight crews already qualified with the Airbus fly-by-wire rating.

On the A330/A340 Prestige, the advanced avionics suite includes a cost-saving centralised maintenance system, data-link communications through VHF/satcom/HF, the Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System, dual weather radar and the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System.

The A380 cockpit takes flight deck design to a new level, utilising eight identical large interactive displays on the main instrument panel, with cursor control provided through a track-ball. The displays provide a significantly increased screen area with clearer presentations of the data/symbology, and they are augmented by a HUD (head-up display) that increases pilot situational awareness, particularly during the approach and landing phases.