Hi,One thing that struck me, is why manufacturers of new aircraft makes cockpits with old levers?What I am thinking about is mainly why they don

I would suspect because levers have a particular "feel" and thus can convey more to the pilot than a button which could be like any other one.Same reason the mixture, prop, and throttle controls usually have different "feeling" knobs on them in GA aircraft....http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg

>I would suspect because levers have a particular "feel" and>thus can convey more to the pilot than a button which could be>like any other one.>>Same reason the mixture, prop, and throttle controls usually>have different "feeling" knobs on them in GA aircraft....Hi,That makes sence. But I also would like to refer to Airbus and their joystick layout. Talk about loss of yoke feeling when that new layout came. I guess it all falls under the "get used to" factor. :-)http://www.scandicair.com/images/sa_banner.gifMy specs are:Dell Dimension 4600 P4/2.8 at 3.0 Ghz1024 Mb DDR333 Dual channel memory (2x256,1x512)256 Mb ATI Radeon X850 Pro ViVoCatalyst 5.9ATITool V0.24DirectX 9.0cW XP Home with SP1E171FPb Flat panel monitor 17"240Gb (2x120) 7200rpm HDLacie 250Gb Extern HD

whats up with the airbii having really small gear levers?

It all has to do with feel. I would hate to fly an aircraft that has buttons for things like gear, flaps, and the speedbrake. Maybe Im just being a sinic though; most pilots hated the idea of flying without a yoke until they tried it.

So your saying that you want the throttle levers ripped out and replaced with F1, F2, F3 and F4 keys :-lolI feel that it is best to keep levers there on the flight deck, they operate large pieces of equipment. I wouldn't want to accidently drop the gear or put up the speed brakes my pressing the wrong button

Well,..despite what we think now,..we also know that sooner or later there will be buttons instead of levers. Maybe not the throttles, but everything else. :-hahhttp://www.scandicair.com/images/sa_banner.gifMy specs are:Dell Dimension 4600 P4/2.8 at 3.0 Ghz1024 Mb DDR333 Dual channel memory (2x256,1x512)256 Mb ATI Radeon X850 Pro ViVoCatalyst 5.9ATITool V0.24DirectX 9.0cW XP Home with SP1E171FPb Flat panel monitor 17"240Gb (2x120) 7200rpm HDLacie 250Gb Extern HD

>Well,..despite what we think now,..we also know that sooner>or later there will be buttons instead of levers. I don't think so. Read more on the subject and you will find out that "buttons" and "joysticks" are only appropriate for aircraft that have fly-by-wire hard envelope protection. For aircraft that even has fly-by-wire but soft protection (like Boeing) buttons and joysticks are not suitable because of human factors. Simple and inexpensive GA aircraft will always rely on straightforward mechanical connection (simple things are much more dependable) therefore such aircraft will never have "buttons".Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-beta.jpg

>>Well,..despite what we think now,..we also know that sooner>>or later there will be buttons instead of levers. >>I don't think so. Read more on the subject and you will>find out that "buttons" and "joysticks" are only appropriate>for aircraft that have fly-by-wire hard envelope protection.>For aircraft that even has fly-by-wire but soft protection>(like Boeing) buttons and joysticks are not suitable because>of human factors. Simple and inexpensive GA aircraft will>always rely on straightforward mechanical connection (simple>things are much more dependable) therefore such aircraft will>never have "buttons".>>Michael J.Hi,So basicly you are saying that an aircraft never will have buttons instead of levers,....?? I Don

Maybe the levers will be gone when pilot control of those items is eliminated altogether. The throttles on airbuses arent used much in manual mode, and could in principle be replaced by something smaller and simpler. But I fail to see why a button is an improvement, apart from being slightly cheaper. In busy and stressful situations (such as emergencies) a good sized lever is much more intuitive than a fickly button.-

>In busy and stressful situations (such as>emergencies) a good sized lever is much more intuitive than a>fickly button.Good points. No doubt experts on "human factors" would have plenty to say on this subject.Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-beta.jpg

>Good points. No doubt experts on "human factors" would have>plenty to say on this subject.>>Michael J.Exactly what I am trying to get to.I remember back in time when Airbus presented their joystick layout, and all voices who claimed that a "single joystick could jepperdize the whole aviation safety issue".As much as we today see buttons instead of levers quite impossible, as many negative thoughts came up also about the Airbus sticks.This is why I am not that sure that there will not be buttons instead of levers in the future. :-)http://www.scandicair.com/images/sa_banner.gifMy specs are:Dell Dimension 4600 P4/2.8 at 3.0 Ghz1024 Mb DDR333 Dual channel memory (2x256,1x512)256 Mb ATI Radeon X850 Pro ViVoCatalyst 5.9ATITool V0.24DirectX 9.0cW XP Home with SP1E171FPb Flat panel monitor 17"240Gb (2x120) 7200rpm HDLacie 250Gb Extern HD

>I remember back in time when Airbus presented their joystick>layout, and all voices who claimed that a "single joystick>could jepperdize the whole aviation safety issue".What voices? There was no true opposition to Airbus joysticks among experts in the field. Human factor people always considered Airbus' joystick consistent with their fly-by-wire hard-limit envelope philospohy.Michael J.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/pmdg_744F.jpghttp://sales.hifisim.com/pub-download/asv6-banner-beta.jpg

I think the joystick thing with Airbus is ridiculous, but I don't have to worry about fly them either.As far as levers and other mechanical devices in the cockpit are concerned, they're kept that way so blind pilots can find them fast without having to feel their way around. ;)

>I think the joystick thing with Airbus is ridiculous, but I>don't have to worry about fly them either.Sidesticks are so ridiculous that more and more new generation aircraft (and helicopters) are adopting them. :)Marco