Aircraft

Airbus has severed links with the A380 for its new A350 XWB cockpit, adopting an all-new configuration that rivals the Boeing 787 in the size of display screens.
“After discussions with customers, we’ve decided to go away from the A380-sized cockpit displays and adopt larger 15in (38cm) displays,” says A350 XWB chief engineer Gordon McConnell.

The XWB had previously been proposed with a cockpit based on that of the A380. Its  new six screen configuration has two central displays mounted one above the other (the lower one on the centre console in front of the thrust levers) and a single primary flight/navigation display in front of each pilot with an on-board information system screen adjacent to it.

©Airbus The new A350 XWB flightdeck features larger displays

McConnell says that there were two main drivers behind the decision to revamp the cockpit: “The ability to share some of this airport and navigation information on the centre display is seen as advantage for the pilots because it means they can be looking at the same display together."

He adds that it will also allow Airbus “to put some more advances in navigation technology on to the displays in the future”.