View Full Version : A question for the Typhoon drivers
The photo in the link below shows the back seat of a two-seat Typhoon. My question is, why does the backseat guy have a HUD when all he can see in front of him is the back of the pilot's ejection seat? Seems odd to me.
http://theaviationist.com/2013/08/06/eurofighter-backseater/
charliegolf
30th Jan 2015, 15:03
To know what the bloke about to kill him (student) was up to? I assume weapons selections would be on the HUD just as with performance data etc.
CG
Bob Viking
30th Jan 2015, 15:42
100 series Hawks have a HUD repeater which is depressed below bore sight. As a result it can be a bit tricky to get used to. This is because there isn't room for a second HUD.
Speaking as someone who spends a fair amount of time in the back of a 100 series Hawk I can safely say that I'd take a HUD looking at the back of someone's seat any day. I can't imagine it causes too many problems unless you're trying to demo a tracking guns shot or do a flapless landing (I have never flown a Typhoon and I stand to be corrected). Since dumb bombing has had its day these are about the only times it's likely to be an issue.
I am not disparaging the Hawk by the way. It is an excellent training platform but it does have its challenges.
BV
OK, I still don't get it. A HUD is an awfully expensive piece of equipment that is expensive to maintain. What can you display on a HUD that you can't display on any ordinary electronic display? The two seat F-18D/F, F-15E, F-14, etc don't have HUDs in the back.
Bob, do you think you'll get an opportunity to fly the Typhoon after your exchange tour finishes?
Bob Viking
30th Jan 2015, 16:28
The whole point of a HUD is to present information up front so your eyes are out of the cockpit. It also allows you to utilise your peripheral vision which is extremely important. Staring in at dials is not the same.
Whilst the aircraft you mention don't have rear seat HUDs (I will take you at your word) I bet none of the pilots prefer it that way.
Aside from the flight parameters on display there is a multitude of targeting information that really does need to be displayed up front to be effective with modern weapons.
I will admit that there are other methods that can be successfully used instead of a HUD but I would contend that none of them are as effective.
My last point is that yes, HUDs are expensive to maintain, but offset that against the cost of a Typhoon and I'm sure you'll see that it's pretty much irrelevant!
BV:ok:
Bob Viking
30th Jan 2015, 16:32
I apologise. I didn't read your post correctly. My previous points all stand but the aircraft you mention have a WSO in the back seat. His job is not to fly the jet so his requirement for a HUD is much less. The back seat of the Typhoon is for an instructor pilot who needs the same information as the front seater.
I hope that also helps to clarify the reasons!
BV:O
juliet
30th Jan 2015, 21:24
The backseat HUD is pretty neat. I did a backseat ride about 8 years ago or so. I had a lot of HUD time and so was quite happy jumping in the back and looking through the HUD. All looked normal except for the funny green colour over the whole screen. I finally asked the guy in front about the colour and mentioned that it was just how it came through from the front. I didn't really understand until it clicked that I was sitting in the backseat and looking at the hangar in front of me. I moved my head to the side and of course right in front of me was the front seat. For the whole flight I really did feel like I was sat at the front. Great piece of kit.
ps. Just to be clear there is a camera at the front of the jet that projects its image onto the rear seat HUD. Not only do you see normal HUD symbology but also a video image of the forward view.
P6 Driver
31st Jan 2015, 09:37
Juliet wrote;
"ps. Just to be clear there is a camera at the front of the jet that projects its image onto the rear seat HUD. Not only do you see normal HUD symbology but also a video image of the forward view."
Every day's a school day!
Nice to have a contribution from someone who has actually seen it rather than making assumptions.
ps. Just to be clear there is a camera at the front of the jet that projects its image onto the rear seat HUD. Not only do you see normal HUD symbology but also a video image of the forward view.
Great stuff. So the back-seat HUD is also useful for landing the aircraft in case the student is incapacitated in some way. The Lord Stirrup got his Air Force Cross for landing a Jaguar from the back-seat after a rather nasty bird strike which started an engine fire and a loss of communication with his student. I bet he would have been really grateful for a second HUD back then!
I apologise. I didn't read your post correctly. My previous points all stand but the aircraft you mention have a WSO in the back seat. His job is not to fly the jet so his requirement for a HUD is much less. The back seat of the Typhoon is for an instructor pilot who needs the same information as the front seater.
OK, now I get it. Front and back seaters are both pilots and the two seat Typhoon is primarily a pilot trainer. Now it's making sense to me.n Thanks much.
Bob Viking
3rd Feb 2015, 21:33
I'm not sure if P6 was having a dig at me, but glad to be of service regardless!
BV:suspect: