Dark cockpit principle

[bookworm]

Can anyone offer a concise explanation of the "dark cockpit principle" of flight deck design and examples of its application, please?

[Assuming that I haven't just dreamt the phrase up :)]

References/URLs would be helpful.

Thanks.

[BayAreaLondoner]

Others will be more qualified to comment, but I believe it is an ergonomic type thing.
See this link (and search for "dark cockpit"): http://www.prz.rzeszow.pl/~awionika/abstr95.htm

[Capt Claret]

Bookworm,

In escence, when every thing is as it should be for normal operations, almost all annunciator lights are out.

Unsafe configurations, or system/component failures will be annunciated.

This is a vast improvement from the old style annunciation whereby system/component configuration might be annunciated with white/green annunciators, malfunctions requiring some attention - usually amber, malfunctions requiring more immediate attention - red.

By reducing the annunciators lit for normal ops, it is easier to identify problems.

[aztruck]

A training Captain once used the phrase "quiet dark cockpit" to me as well. In other words, if its not warbling, clacking, shaking howling ringing, flashing, amber, red, white, bright blue or green....then everything is probably OK .....unless........

[Tinstaafl]

...the bulb has blown? :o :D