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THE TURBINE PILOT’S FLIGHT MANUAL
Annunciator and Warning Systems While cockpit layout obviously varies tremendously by aircraft, there’s been a trend toward standardization over the years. Each manufacturer has been working to standardize its own cockpit designs (and systems designs, for that matter), in order to reduce pilot training costs across various models. Airbus Industries, for example, has worked to make all of its fly-by-wire models virtually identical, not only in cockpit layout but also in control response and feel. The twin-engine A-320 and fourengine A-340 are tremendously different in size and capacity but are designed to feel similar in the cockpit. The same is true with the Boeing 757 and 767, vastly different aircraft that share a common type
rating. (Boeing, for years, has had “logic” in the orientation of cockpit toggle switches in all its aircraft. Toggle any switch toward the windshield for “on,” away from the windshield for “off.”)
Annunciator or Advisory Panels One cockpit system is already well standardized through most of the turbine fleet. Every aircraft, from King Airs through the “big guys,” is equipped with a centrally located pilot advisory panel (or annunciator panel), which depicts everything from system status to emergency warnings (Figure 6.7). Advisory panels are designed to alert pilots to system problems that require further investigation or action. They are normally divided and color coded into three levels of information.
Warning lights (red) alert pilots to emergency or “immediate action required” situations.
L.ENG FIRE
APU FIRE
CABIN DOOR
CARGO DOOR
L. GEN
L.DC BUS
HYD PRESS
CABIN ALT
R.DC BUS
R. GEN
L. ICE VANE
R. ICE VANE
L. BLEED OVRHT
R. BLEED OVRHT
L. FUEL HEAT
R. FUEL HEAT
Caution lights (yellow or amber) indicate problems that should be addressed as soon as time permits. An emergency could occur if these problems are left unaddressed for an extended period.
WHL WELL R.ENG FIRE FIRE
Status lights (white, green, or blue) indicate status or operation of components that could affect the flight, if not properly selected for conditions.
Annunciators alert or inform pilots of conditions that are important to safety of the flight. This particular panel directs pilots to specific components or problems that require attention.
Fuel Panel
Overhead Panel
Environmental
Electrical
Hydraulic
Pneumatic
Some annunciator panels simply refer pilot attention to caution lights or other indicators activated on specific panels where they may not be immediately seen.
FIGURE 6.7 | Annunciator or advisory panels.
