737 Cockpit Parts

[Leto Corrales]

Theengine(s), or powerplant, of an aircraft creates thrust needed for the plane to fly. Generally speaking, there are two types of aircraft engines, reciprocating and turbine. With reciprocating engines, air flows into the engine, is compressed and mixed with fuel and an electric spark to combust, with exhaust gases leaving the back of the engine through the manifold. The engine spins the propeller which then creates thrust to move the plane forward. Alternatively, with a turbine engine, the action of compressing air, mixing with fuel, ignition and exhaust are similar but occur inline. In this case the power is generated by the air being exhausted from the engine.

Landing gear is located under the belly of the plane consisting of a wheel and strut to soften impact with the ground and may be retractable into the fuselage. Tricycle type wheels are common for general aviation with one wheel at the front and two behind or the reverse for tailwheels with two wheels at the front of the plane and one under the tail.

All parts of an airplane are crucial for conducting safe flight. A huge responsibility pilots take on is making sure all aircraft components are in excellent condition before embarking on their flight journey.

Welcome to the world of aviation, where you will step into the pilots' hub - the airplane cockpit. This guide will provide in-depth information about the cockpit, the pilots' central command area which governs every aspect of the aircraft's journey from takeoff to landing. As you delve deeper, you'll understand that the cockpit's sophistication goes well beyond just a pilot, co-pilot, and an instrument panel.

An aircraft cockpit, whether it is of a large airliner like Boeing or a smaller aircraft, is a collection of intricate parts and systems designed for specific functions. The primary parts of an airplane cockpit include flight control tools, the instrument panel, navigation systems, and control surfaces. The flight controls span from yokes and pedals to more digital systems in modern glass cockpits, including those of well-known airlines' Airbus aircraft.

The central component in a cockpit of a plane, the yoke (or side-stick in some aircraft like Airbus), allows the plane to roll and pitch., allows the plane to roll and pitch, while rudder pedals control yaw. ( The instrument panel displays vital information about the flight, such as altitude and speed. An engine's performance is monitored by gauges while digital electronic flight instruments provide accurate navigational and flight data. Control surfaces, such as ailerons and flaps, contribute to the plane's movement in the air. They are typically found at the trailing edge of the wing and the empennage.

The yoke and pedals are the primary flight controls in an aircraft cockpit which the pilot uses to control the plane's movement. The yoke is used for roll and pitch control, while the rudder pedals enable the pilot to manage yaw control. Modern cockpits also use fly-by-wire systems to control these movements.

An instrument panel, a key part of any cockpit, houses numerous devices and display systems that provide real-time information about the flight to the pilot. These devices range from traditional analog gauges showing speed and altitude to the more contemporary Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Navigation Display (ND) on a glass cockpit display, offering more in-depth flight information.

The cockpit design has seen significant changes since the dawn of aviation. Traditional cockpits that depended on stand-alone instruments have given way to glass cockpits with integrated display system, improving both aircraft management and safety. A glass cockpit typically includes electronic flight instrumentation, reducing the pilot's workload and simplifying information presentation.

In the cockpit of a plane, the yoke and pedal are essential for controlling the aircraft. The main components, typically included for navigation, allow pilots to direct the plane's altitude, speed, and direction.

While yoke controls the plane's altitude and roll, rudder pedals help in controlling its direction along the vertical axis. Pilots use these pedals to regulate aircraft's yaw movement, assisting in turning and ground steering.

Excellence in aviation necessitates mastering the combination of yoke and pedal controls. It enables deft controlling of the aircraft, yielding smoother takeoff and landing, even in demanding flying conditions.

During takeoff and landing, pilots employ a range of flight controls-from throttles to flaps-to ensure a secure and smooth journey. Precise use of these controls is crucial for operating both smaller aircraft and larger airliners.

Next in the aviation world's fascinating cockpit design is the Instrument Panel that furnishes vital information about the flight, including altimeter readings and the status of the landing gear. This avionics panel, which includes controls for landing gear and altimeter dials, is tailored to the type of aircraft, such as an Airbus, and its specific requirements.

The flight deck varies depending on the specific type of aircraft. Each flight deck consists of cockpit displays designed to provide the pilot with requisite information for flying the aircraft. The larger the airplane, the more the panel comprises.

Gauges and indicators are like a plane's vital signs. They display information such as the aircraft's altitude, airspeed, and fuel state on the avionics display, thus assisting the pilot in ensuring a safe flight and following the flight plan.

The Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) has revolutionized flight control. In modern jets and airliners, the glass cockpit, empowered with EFIS displays like PFD (Primary Flight Display) and ND (Navigation Display), furthers safe and efficient flying.

Flight Management Systems (FMS) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems are integral to managing flights. Pilots rely on these systems to navigate busy skies, monitor weather, and communicate with ground control effectively.

Display systems form an integral part of the cockpit, serving crucially in enabling the pilot to control the flight. These aircraft systems inform them about internal and external conditions, ultimately dictating their decisions.

A core component of propeller planes is the propeller. It is responsible for generating thrust, allowing the plane to move in the air. The control system enables the pilot to regulate the propeller's speed and direction.

The control system of propeller aircraft is complex, consisting of numerous interconnected elements. These include the throttle control, the propeller control, and the gear control for the landing gear, which manipulate the plane's airspeed, thrust, and altitude, respectively.

A crucial part of the airplane, the empennage, holds the vertical and horizontal stabilizers, the rudder, and the elevator. These components help stabilize the aircraft in flight and contribute to its control and steering.

The trailing edge of most horizontal stabilizers includes a moveable flight control surface called the elevator. The elevator helps to maintain the plane's stability and pitch control, playing a key role in maintaining a constant altitude.

The trailing edge of the wing harbors several important control surfaces. These flight controls include the ailerons and flaps. Flaps are primarily used to increase lift during lower speeds, such as during takeoff and landing, while ailerons, located at the wing's trailing edge, are used for roll control.

Pilots control the ailerons and flaps through inputs to the yoke or side-stick and pedals. While pilots provide the input, these controls are often assisted by power systems such as hydraulics or fly-by-wire technology, especially in larger aircraft.

On the other hand none of the companies selling panels are using original mil spec switches or Accurate dimensions. Just from the pictures I could point out problem areas of the design on the IJettpilot site.Their prices on the panels with out any hard ware is about twice what I would consider a reasonable price if their parts were with in a spec. So that one could add real panels if found.

With all the research and devopment I have put into my own cockpit and the level of detail and accuracy I tried to maintained, I can only laugh at the price they set for that MIP. They must feel it's worth it. Yes, there is a tremendous amount of effort put forward to create this yet it is wrong on so many levels. I doubt if that much thought was put into it's development.

To justify this selling price I would want to see panels that actually mimic a real A10 instead of copies that poorly reflect the original. I would also expect no empty spaces. And I would want to see working gauges where all actually have pointers and displays not left out. BTW, what's with the giant lag bolts:doh:

But understand my critism is only with respect to the asking price. I have great respect for all that would attempt such a project. We all have our own level of skills and available tools which affect the final outcome? In this case I guess they figured charging minimum wage for labour just wasn't enough.:lol:

No one asked my opinion, but I like to keep mods simple and single-purpose. LF in cockpit makes no sense (likewise mono in an open cockpit). I've got stock 1.25m service bays for the uses you describe, lots of other mods have various cargo bays. I've got inline mono tanks and can stuff the radials in service bays to save drag (I do it all the time). Oxidizer tank matching Mk0 LF tank is a good idea but I don't see what it has to do with open cockpits...? Personally, most of what you describe in 0.91, I'd delete or config out

please let me know if you agree with it (i will remove your patch if not), if you want to include the patch in your mod instead of mine, also can you notify me if something is changing in the concerned parts?

I'm trying to build a home cockpit for the PMDG 737-800. I'm looking for some landing gear position indicator lights but I don't know where to get them from. I've tried ebay and amazon, but it returned no promising results. The other alternative is of course to make them. Does anyone know where I could have something like this made?

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