Cockpit Ergonomics

[BobbyBolkow]

Don't know if this has been discussed before?
However, mulling over a pint down the local the other night and I got to thinking about comments on another thread from HeadTurner, TeeS et al regarding switch positions Vs flight safety implications etc, etc.
So how do we, as an industry, fare in the cockpit ergonomic stakes? Having a fair few types on my licence, I think pretty poorly.
I think we have a wealth of experience out there and maybe we could have a best and worst type based on useability, comfort, safety etc. We have all, I have no doubt, moaned about the switch that was placed 'just out of reach' or said 'what on earth made them put that there?'
My personal suggestions are:-
Most comfortable & user friendly cockpit (SPIFR) - AS365C3
Worst cockpit design ever - Westland Scout AH1 (yes I am that old!). Which maniac put the heater lever next to the fuel HP cock?
How about it guys? What are your best and worst?
:ok: Does anybody know how to fly this thing?

[SASless]

Bell anything......starting with seats...doors....offset Attitude Indicators....hydraulic switches and fuel switches.

[handysnaks]

It may drop points on lots of things but the MD 902 has a really well thought out cockpit. :ok:

[Brian Abraham]

Worse (well not really) but hated S-76 when the electrical panel was moved to the overhead ready to do a lobotomy.
Bobby, loved the Scout - best flying helicopter ever, pity about its capabilities though (and looks).

[800]

Bell, with the 206 series float arm switches.
Why did they have so many positions? On the CB panel or on the instrument panel.
Why they conld not put them on the collective, I don't know?
Although I have seen a few retrofitted to that postion.

[bwm85]

R22 - Cyclic trim next to the mixture control. Setup could certainly make a students first solo nav a little more interesting.

[800]

Another old favourite.

The Hook release vs the fire bucket dump switch locations on the cyclic!

[spinwing]

Mmmmm....

Bell 222UT floats arm switch placed next to the No1 engine fuel valve Sw. but with the guard cover working the other way round !!!!!

Never actually turned No1 off accidentally (on short finals!) but came very close ... ONCE!!!

:\ :\ :ooh:

[BobbyBolkow]

Brian,
Loved the Scout as well - Queen of the skies and great seat of yer pants flying. BUT, lets face it, an ergonomic disaster!
:ok: Does anybody know how to fly this thing?

[Revolutionary]

In the AS350 B2 and B3: The HYD isolation pushbutton right next to, and indistinguishable from, the landing light button. Also: the 'is-it-hooked? is-it-unhooked?' ambiguity of the collective lock. Both ergonomics cockups have led to more than one crash. the EC135 has a much nicer, springloaded lock. Eurocopter, can we have one on the AS350 too, pretty please?

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Ergonomic slum: my beloved Wessex 2. Hanging forward in the straps with no proper back support/ pedal adjustment/ seat adjustment, you had to struggle to see anything outside past the cockpit girders/Decca box/whatever. Westlands acc drive(!), hideous switch arrangement in the event of electrical failure at night and a hydraulic system which tripped-off into seriously-unboosted mode if you had a real double-donk failure. Still, at least it was soldier-proof.

Ergonomic dream: closest yet is the MD902. If a switch isn't needed it isn't there, and what IS needed is put just where the pilot wants to find it. No bl**dy roof panel, so excellent vis and min risk of coriolis disorientation. Shame it isn't built to last...

[Head Turner]

I endorse Thud and Blunders' report on the MD902 and hope that MD get to hear of it. On similar lines that the instigators of the 'Put any switch in the most awkward place' also are made aware that cockpit design should not be left in the hands of the design team who most likely have never sat in a working cockpit nor in the hands of the engineering departments.

The Bell 47 and the Scout were accidentd flying around looking for the event in that the mixture cut off and the Carb air heat were right next to each other and the Scout problem has been already mentioned.
Other engineer designed instrument panels that have;-
a. Artificial Horizons/Attitude Indicators too low and offset AND even worse that the standby AH/AI is of a different visual layout.
b. Switches that are in a complex cluster and can be mistakenly operated.
c. Overhead switches and circuit breakers.
d. Use of Left and Right and No1 and No2 within the same systems.
e. Switches that need never be there!

Another mystery is what is the point of closing the throttle from flight idle to ground idle during the run up checks on the Bell 206 series. The reason forwarded is that flight idle rpm has to be confirmed/ checking the free wheel unit/ checking the fuel control unit.

Just some thoughts

[McGowan]

I sit in the right hand seat of a B407 on a regular basis. My biggest winge is the radio stack, in particular the transponder on the bottom. It doesn't matter where the collective is postioned, I have to reach around the bloody thing to get at the buttons/switches. A pain in the botna weather you are on the ground or in the air. This particular helicopter has the Garmin IFR avionics package, GMA340/GNS530/GNS430/GTX327. A pity they couldn't mount the audio panel and transponder up on the instrument panel somewhere.
I really shouldn't complain as it is a really nice bit of gear to fly..........

[McGowan]

Just thought of another one.
The hydraulic switch in the R44, right next to the intercom and transmit switches and unguarded. A definate accident waiting to happen. Actually saw one almost occur, hydraulics switch bumped just prior to take off. Pretty impressive bit of flying to keep it under control.