The A380 cockpit has an area of 47.4 square feet (4.4 square meters). This makes it much roomier than most wide-bodied jets. There are eight display monitors for the two-person piloting team and all systems are connected by a network. Each display is large enough to provide clearer presentation for the pilot. A track ball, similar to a computer mouse, and a keyboard are used to navigate through information on the interactive, reconfigurable screens.
The A380 has a display that shows the altitude vertically and distance horizontally. Terrain is projected in brown while the flight path is in green and the aircraft is shown in yellow. Weather can be seen horizontally and vertically at any altitude, allowing for greater situational awareness. The pilots also can make specific modifications to the flight plan, through menus with choices, on the navigation screen more quickly and efficiently.
Pilots and crew have access to technical logbooks, maps, equipment and operation manuals and other information in electronic form. Many controls are streamlined for more efficiency. The Flight Management System is displayed on two screens instead of the usual three. Folders are used to store and access related functions. Air traffic control messaging is also pared down from two screens to one. Pilots can view surveillance video on cockpit displays.
