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My son and I try to visit the cockpit every time we fly. This last trip included an AA 767-300. After being in the glass cockpits on the newer aircraft, the 7

My son and I try to visit the cockpit every time we fly. This last trip included an AA 767-300. After being in the glass cockpits on the newer aircraft, the 767 is a real throwback. It feels almost military in it's apperance and setup. Compare the 767: https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/1/5/9/0247951-v40-10.jpg https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/1/5/9/0247951... To an A340: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/A340-642_flight_deck.jpg/800px-A340-642_flight_deck.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/A3...

nhf 8y ago
Or try the A350, which is just full on glass: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RYQL4QdHzFA/maxresdefault.jpg https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RYQL4QdHzFA/maxresdefault.jpg 767s can be retrofit to that state though, and some airlines have done so. This is a rendering of a cockpit retrofit for a 767 freighter commissioned by UPS: https://www.rockwellcollins.com/sitecore/content/Data/News/2012_Cal_Yr/CS/~/media/C30B9FB0A3B941C4B40BC70C5ECB1A46.ashx https://www.rockwellcollins.com/sitecore/content/Data/News/2...
- kijin 8y ago
  How do they deal with the glare on all those screens? Do they use a special kind of panel that doesn't become unreadable when sunlight falls on it?
  - AceyMan 8y ago
    There are very few, if any, angles where the sun can fall on the primary panel. Also, just above is a shelf that juts out (with many of the commonly touched buttons) called the glareshield that keeps direct light off the instruments. Finally, the dynamic lighting range of the displays is unholy; I've been in the cockpit at night when the mechanic working on something cranked up the brightness to full (he warned me first) — it felt close to staring into an LED flashlight. There's plenty of oomph there to make it readable in daylight.
  - frankchn 8y ago
    I assume it is similar (but higher quality) to the LCDs in car instrument panels. Very bright, and angled such that sunlight rarely hits them.
  - aasasd 8y ago
    Computer LCD screens weren't so susceptible to glare until sometime in the past decade when manufacturers decided that the deep black is worth the sacrifice. Before that, screens were simply matte, I think. And now there are matte films that you can slap on the smooth glareful screen (much recommend).
  - starpilot 8y ago
    They use displays designed to be readable in full, direct sunlight: https://www.l3aviationproducts.com/products/104-multi-function-display-tech-refresh/ https://www.l3aviationproducts.com/products/104-multi-functi...
mediocrejoker 8y ago
I didn't know "visiting the cockpit" was still allowed anywhere since 9/11.
- FigBug 8y ago
  It is on the ground, no longer allowed in the air.
- cameldrv 8y ago
  It's very often allowed on Southwest on the ground if you have kids, particularly if you are doing a stopover. If you have young kids, book your next flight with a stop (where you stay on the plane), and ask nicely, you should be able to get a cool picture of the family in the cockpit. We've done it twice, my son loved it.
- gumby 8y ago
  Outside the USA most airlines permit it except to/from USA. My kid loved it.
  - wil421 8y ago
    Not true. They won’t do it in the air but they will certainly do it after landing in the USA.
    - gumby 8y ago
      “what do you mean “not true”? I’m saying my son had certainly visited the the cockpit in flight in the last decade. (He’s old enough now that he isn’t really a kid, and also less interested). I suppose i can’t testify to “most”, not having sampled a majority of the world’s airlines, but certainly on major carriers like Aeroflot and smaller regionals they aren’t so uptight.
- samstave 8y ago
  You can also ask to tour the tower at SFO as well. but you need to call ahead and jump through hurdles to get to the right people apparently.

nhf 8y ago

Or try the A350, which is just full on glass: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RYQL4QdHzFA/maxresdefault.jpg https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RYQL4QdHzFA/maxresdefault.jpg 767s can be retrofit to that state though, and some airlines have done so. This is a rendering of a cockpit retrofit for a 767 freighter commissioned by UPS: https://www.rockwellcollins.com/sitecore/content/Data/News/2012_Cal_Yr/CS/~/media/C30B9FB0A3B941C4B40BC70C5ECB1A46.ashx https://www.rockwellcollins.com/sitecore/content/Data/News/2...

kijin 8y ago
How do they deal with the glare on all those screens? Do they use a special kind of panel that doesn't become unreadable when sunlight falls on it?
- AceyMan 8y ago
  There are very few, if any, angles where the sun can fall on the primary panel. Also, just above is a shelf that juts out (with many of the commonly touched buttons) called the glareshield that keeps direct light off the instruments. Finally, the dynamic lighting range of the displays is unholy; I've been in the cockpit at night when the mechanic working on something cranked up the brightness to full (he warned me first) — it felt close to staring into an LED flashlight. There's plenty of oomph there to make it readable in daylight.
- frankchn 8y ago
  I assume it is similar (but higher quality) to the LCDs in car instrument panels. Very bright, and angled such that sunlight rarely hits them.
- aasasd 8y ago
  Computer LCD screens weren't so susceptible to glare until sometime in the past decade when manufacturers decided that the deep black is worth the sacrifice. Before that, screens were simply matte, I think. And now there are matte films that you can slap on the smooth glareful screen (much recommend).
- starpilot 8y ago
  They use displays designed to be readable in full, direct sunlight: https://www.l3aviationproducts.com/products/104-multi-function-display-tech-refresh/ https://www.l3aviationproducts.com/products/104-multi-functi...

mediocrejoker 8y ago

I didn't know "visiting the cockpit" was still allowed anywhere since 9/11.

FigBug 8y ago
It is on the ground, no longer allowed in the air.
cameldrv 8y ago
It's very often allowed on Southwest on the ground if you have kids, particularly if you are doing a stopover. If you have young kids, book your next flight with a stop (where you stay on the plane), and ask nicely, you should be able to get a cool picture of the family in the cockpit. We've done it twice, my son loved it.
gumby 8y ago
Outside the USA most airlines permit it except to/from USA. My kid loved it.
- wil421 8y ago
  Not true. They won’t do it in the air but they will certainly do it after landing in the USA.
  - gumby 8y ago
    “what do you mean “not true”? I’m saying my son had certainly visited the the cockpit in flight in the last decade. (He’s old enough now that he isn’t really a kid, and also less interested). I suppose i can’t testify to “most”, not having sampled a majority of the world’s airlines, but certainly on major carriers like Aeroflot and smaller regionals they aren’t so uptight.
samstave 8y ago
You can also ask to tour the tower at SFO as well. but you need to call ahead and jump through hurdles to get to the right people apparently.