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Aviation History
2000
2000-1 - 0302.PDF
The 161-400ER will appear at Farnborough advance Boeing has incorporated 777 flightdeck technology in the 767-400ER, bringing the twinjet into the 21st century PETER HENLEY/SEATTLE PHOTOGRAPHY/MARK WAGNER The ividebody 767ER shares almost complete commonality with its 757 sibling FLYING THE stretched Boeing 767-400ER so soon after the Boeing 757-300 (FlightInternational, 26 February-6 March) offered intriguing opportunities for com parison. The two aircraft are similar in terms of procedures, handling characteristics and flight management. But one key advance in the cock pit could have a significant effect on pilots qual ified to fly earlier Boeing types. The narrowbody 757 and its widebody 767 sibling share almost total commonality. The change is to the flight instrument system. A rel atively old-technology electronic flight instru ment system (EFIS) made the 757-300 cockpit seem similar to earlier 757, but, unlike earlier 767s, die -400ER has a six-panel liquid crystal EFIS presentation that is nearly identical to the 777 and similar to the 747-400. The 767-400ER is the latest Boeing deriva tive model to benefit from a comprehensive flightdeck revamp. As with the Next Gener ation 737, the 1980s technology incorporated in earlier models has been stripped out and replaced by 777 architecture. Unlike the 757- 300 derivative, which retains its predecessor's cockpit configuration, the new 767-400ER has more in common with die 777 tiian witJi the 767-200/300 models from which it evolved. To maintain fleet commonality, Boeing has studied the possibility of offering digital "round dial" primary flight information pre sentations on the -400ER, but the two launch customers (Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines) have opted for modern tape type dis plays standard on the 747-400 and 777. While this may affect experienced airline pilots flying earlier Boeing types, increasingly, they will have to adapt to digital and tape presentations of lat est EFIS displays. The decision to adopt the latest display con figurations makes it easier to incorporate future operational and safety enhancements. For example, little doubt remains about die value of the latest terrain awareness systems (TAWS) such as Honeywell's Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning (EGPWS). The 767-400 EFIS includes a compelling, large-format EGPWS display that would be difficult to incorporate in a "conventional" cockpit (see safety feature, PI 36). The 767-400ER flown by Flight International was die first of three development prototypes. This airframe (VQ001) had been used for all the flutter handling and performance trials leading 182 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 18 - 24 July 2000
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