B747-8 Flight Deck?

[FirmamentFX]

Hi everyone,

Is there any information available on the new flight deck and flight systemsfor the 748?

I gather there are considerably more 8" LCD displays (2x PFD & ND, 2x EICAS, 3x MFD), and avionics upgrades (GPS landing system etc), but is there any "hard" info out there at the moment?

Best wishes,

Martin

[McAero]

Short answer no. I look forward to seeing it though...

[FirmamentFX]

Ok no worries, thanks.

I came across this: http://744.hoppie.nl/forum.cgi/noframes/read/11720

I can't vouch for its accuracy - especially as it seems to be the *only* real info out there on the 748 deck, but if that is an "official" picture, by the looks of it it is a 744 upgraded with some 777 features...

Nothing like the 787 flight deck. I assume that is to preserve commonality.

Cheers,

Martin

[bjones4]

The Flightdeck image was taken from the original 747-8 minisite before it was replaced with the newairplane.com version in common with the 787s.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...-supplier.html

The 747-8 flightdeck will be virtually indistinguishable from that of the -400 on the surface, says Townsend. "The key consideration was to make this have a common pilot rating with today's 747. There are 10,000 pilots currently certified to fly the 747, and yet at the same time we are creating an aircraft with similar capabilities to the 787," she adds.

The -8 will therefore retain the DU-7001 display system, but it will be upgraded to include advanced features found on the Boeing 777 such as an electronic checklist with cursor control panel, navigation performance scales and vertical situation displays. Similarly, GPS landing system capability will be added to the autopilot and navigation systems. The aircraft will also feature the latest derivative of the same WXR-2100 MultiScan radar that will be common to the 787 and which has been developed to provide clutter-free weather detection out to over 590km (320nm).

[FirmamentFX]

Thanks bjones4. That photo is very obviously a -400 (unless they are keeping the mechanical standbys for the -8 ).

More interestingly though, is the caption and the article:

The 747-8's flightdeck will be almost identical to the -400's

So they're obviously not planning any major physical upgrades:

The 747-8 flightdeck will be virtually indistinguishable from that of the -400 on the surface, says Townsend. "The key consideration was to make this have a common pilot rating with today's 747. There are 10,000 pilots currently certified to fly the 747, and yet at the same time we are creating an aircraft with similar capabilities to the 787," she adds.

The -8 will therefore retain the DU-7001 display system, but it will be upgraded to include advanced features found on the Boeing 777 such as an electronic checklist with cursor control panel, navigation performance scales and vertical situation displays. Similarly, GPS landing system capability will be added to the autopilot and navigation systems. The aircraft will also feature the latest derivative of the same WXR-2100 MultiScan radar that will be common to the 787 and which has been developed to provide clutter-free weather detection out to over 590km (320nm).

I'll be interested to see how they fit the vertical sit display onto the DU7001 PFD screen... (if indeed it is going on the PFD).

Martin

[Denti]

The vertical situation display is on the ND, lower part, you can actually see it on the Captains ND on linked picture. I believe it is standard on the newer 737s as well, at least it is on those we get later this year that were defined last year.

[FirmamentFX]

Ah yes - sorry my bad....!

M

[FirmamentFX]

Out of interest, do you know if there are any plans (proposed or already instigated) to upgrade the 777 with a vertical sit display?

M

[QE Corrector]

B747-8

My understanding is it has a 781 SATCOM and a MultiScan WXR as standard kit.