The problem with current PFD's is that although they look pretty flash, all they do is represent the same basic T layout that has been used for IF flying for sixty years.
What is the problem with that, you might ask?
Well the problem is, analogue clocks or whizz-bang LCD, the pilot still has to
integrate five or more separate sources of information to determine his aircraft's energy state. Forward speed, vertical speed, attitude, altitude, heading/track. Even on the most advanced civil flight decks, it is still left to the pilot to integrate this information.
Look across to the neighbouring Navigation Display (ND) and see the difference. Here just about all the disparate information regarding the aircraft's lateral navigation, is completely integrated. Magenta lines for flight plan track. Waypoints and ground based navaids are shown. Pointers for auto tuned and manually tuned aids giving bearing and distances to/from those selected aids. EGPWS terrain information, Wx RDR returns, TCAS traffic.
Nav Display = highly integrated. A visitor to the flight deck can 'get the picture' very quickly.
PFD = disparate, requires a lot of skill and constant practice for the operator to integrate.
If our mate hus1uk1 really wanted to make a contribution, he could research a new paradigm primary flight display that integrated pitch/roll/speed/heading/vertical speed for the pilot.
Aircraft designers gave up on piston engine powerplants for airliners fifty years ago. Supercharging, 'corn cob' rows of cylinders, power recovery turbines....
........ replaced by a simpler, more reliable, much more scalable gas turbine powerplants.
Time to do the same with primary flight displays.
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However, if that is a bit beyond the scope of his brief, then I suggest the following:
What sort of display formats are becoming more prevalent in
consumer electronics?
Answer: Widescreen 16:9 televisions. Anybody out there quite happy with their 4:3 computer display and telly?
Thats why I think the Garmin G1000 format for primary flight display is a cracker.
Instead of the normal "portrait" orientation attitude display that is maybe 4" wide, here is a display that has bank attitude
all the way across the 10"-15" of screen available.
That is a must-have, hus1uk1, me old mate!