AIRBUS A380 360 degree cockpit/flight deck view

You have to see this 360 degree panorama of the A380.

This is as close as most get.

www.gillesvidal.com...

If a 767 is as complex, those 911 hijack pilots were pretty lucky.

Once you're flying it's quite "easy", as long as you have some kind of training. Flying different types of planes is basically the same. Changing the autopilot is just a matter of turning a couple of dials to new headings and speeds. The hardest parts are powering up/starting engines, and shut down. But there are checklists to follow for those that make it pretty easy.

Glass cockpits are actually much easier than an older style cockpit. Everything is displayed on computer screens, with easy an easy menu to follow.

[edit on 4/6/2009 by Zaphod58]

[edit on 4/6/2009 by Zaphod58]

reply to post by Zaphod58

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even a high altitude dive/?

reply to post by Zaphod58

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I am not a pilot but my husband and two daughters are...and I think you will find that every type of aircraft differs in handling greatly. You can not go from light aircraft flying to large commercial aircraft with ease. Hence the amount of re-training pilots have to do when they change aircraft type.

reply to post by imd12c4funn

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A shallow dive yes. A vertical dive, from high altitude and unless the plane was stressed for aerobatic maneuvers you're not getting out of it.

Regardless of the plane, the same four forces of flight are at work, and the same basic controls are used, as well as the same instruments. I learned in sail-planes and Cessnas when I was young, and had the chance to fly a short bit of a KC-135 flight and had no problems with it. It was almost identical, just the response time was longer than it was in a smaller plane. I could read all the instruments I needed with no problems.

reply to post by sueloujo

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They do handle differently, but a pilot that trained in a small plane, would recognize the instruments, and controls in a 747 or any other plane. As well as the autopilot controls, radio controls etc. The BASICS are the same, regardless of if it's a Cessna 152, or a 747. The biggest differences are in handling and response time to control inputs.

reply to post by Zaphod58

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Thanks for the insight, as well as the other posters.

But, nonetheless, this pictures view is impressive, no?

Btw thank you very much for your post..I have forwarded the link onto my two girls for them to drool over. I have got used to them not drooling over pop stars!!

And from a womans point of view ...wouldnt you think they would have straightened the seat cover for that shot ?

double post... sorry

[edit on 6-4-2009 by sueloujo]

reply to post by imd12c4funn

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Oh yeah, it's a nice picture. We're reaching the point of an old pilot joke. Eventually all aircraft will have a dog and a pilot in the cockpit. The dog is there to bite the pilot if he tries to touch anything.

reply to post by Zaphod58

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Yes exactly what I said..the handling is very very different and you could not go from a piper warrior for example onto a 737...and expect to fly it with ease and indeed "exceptional" performance as in the case of the 911 pilots.

reply to post by sueloujo

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Actually, most of the flight would be under autopilot. Changing the autopilot is a matter of turning some knobs. You turn three knobs, one for heading, one for altitude, and one for speed. They would only have to worry about the differences in the flight characteristics if they were planning to land the plane.

reply to post by Zaphod58

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I dont know if you have seen the site that I will link but it will save me going through all the reasons why I dont think it is realistic to believe that those "terrorists" with a few hours of flying under their belt would be able to do what they did. Its just my opinion though.

www.pilotsfor911truth.org...

Since this is the aviation forum, and not 9/11, I'll leave it at this. With all my experience around aircraft I believe that they could have pulled it off as stated.

And that's gonna be the last word on 9/11. Any 9/11 talk, take it to the forum.

reply to post by Zaphod58

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You answered the question about the 911 pilots in your first post not me...and I disagreed with you that it would be "easy". Now that can be the end of it.

reply to post by sueloujo

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I replied to his question, but since I don't want this to get out of hand, the 9/11 discussion is done. If you want to talk about the picture at hand, then that's fine, but any 9/11 discussion needs to be moved to the proper forum.

Here is a pic of the cockpit of the cessna 172 ...what a huge difference. I wish I had my time all over again to learn to fly these beauties...but my sense of direction is so bad maybe its just as well I never did.

www.scottsdalepilotshop.com...

Going from a stick to a joystick, that would be a tough nut.

Not exactly on topic but I got a kick out of this one.

www.youtube.com...



Also, I have a friend that flys F-22s and he swears that if you can fly and land a Cessna 172 you can fly and land an F-22. He says the work is in manageing the systems.



[edit on 6-4-2009 by miketwosix]

reply to post by Zaphod58

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Or press LNAV then VNAV then sit back.

[edit on 7/4/2009 by C0bzz]