Panoramic view of the Airbus A380 cockpit

[Denholm]

Yes, they put the pilot's life at risk by moving the cockpit down to the middle - lower level. If they decide to use this plane as a cargo hauler it could become dangerous. If any cargo gets loose and slides forward.... BAM, the pilots just got whacked. That was one of the safety features of the B747. It had a raised cockpit to prevent cargo from slamming into the cockpit and crushing the pilots.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Denholm
Yes, they put the pilot's life at risk by moving the cockpit down to the middle - lower level. If they decide to use this plane as a cargo hauler it could become dangerous. If any cargo gets loose and slides forward.... BAM, the pilots just got whacked. That was one of the safety features of the B747. It had a raised cockpit to prevent cargo from slamming into the cockpit and crushing the pilots.

In all fairness, if cargo gets loose and doesn't whack the pilots, it wouldn't really matter anyway...the plane's skin (and spars) are aluminum and are no challenge for a heavy steel cargo container so the plane is going down either way.

[B@tfinkV]

so the cargo misses the pilot but knocks a hole thought the nose cone of a 33,000ft 600mph jet.....still not seeing many plus sides to this loose cargo thing.

[Denholm]

Batfink, it's highly unlikely that the cargo will slam into the forward parts of the aircraft at cruising altitude. Considering that you are neither climbing or descending, and your speed is equalized, the chances of cargo "sliding" forward in steady flight are slim. Even if it did, the amount of force required wouldn't be enough in steady flight.

Most likely the cargo would slam into the nose at lower altitudes when you are descending and braking. Either way, Boeing took into thought the fact that it can happen, and did something about it. Airbus didn't seem to care. Although it's highly unlikely to happen, it can. And the chances of surviving a lost nose are much greater when the pilots are alive and still inside the cockpit.

[TEXAS20]

Ahhhhhh  Hello....................wher es the gun rack?


Cool site!:aok

[C(Sea)Bass]

Originally posted by Denholm
Batfink, it's highly unlikely that the cargo will slam into the forward parts of the aircraft at cruising altitude. Considering that you are neither climbing or descending, and your speed is equalized, the chances of cargo "sliding" forward in steady flight are slim. Even if it did, the amount of force required wouldn't be enough in steady flight.

Most likely the cargo would slam into the nose at lower altitudes when you are descending and braking. Either way, Boeing took into thought the fact that it can happen, and did something about it. Airbus didn't seem to care. Although it's highly unlikely to happen, it can. And the chances of surviving a lost nose are much greater when the pilots are alive and still inside the cockpit.

Eventually that plan has to land though, and that involves changing the pitch. If the cargo is loose in the first place it seems unlikly that it would be able to resecured in flight, as the mechanism that hold it in place are likely to be damaged.

[2bighorn]

Originally posted by Denholm
It had a raised cockpit to prevent cargo from slamming into the cockpit and crushing the pilots.

Wrong. 747 has raised cockpit to maximize the floor area and to make nose cargo door, and with that loading and unloading of large cargo, possible.

[john9001]

Originally posted by 2bighorn

FEED ME

[Airscrew]

Originally posted by 2bighorn

"Say AHHHH"

[Airscrew]

HAL?  oooohhhhh  nnooooo

[Casca]

Originally posted by indy007
Anybody have any clue what those other 2 handles are to the left of the control stick? One looks like one of those FPS game controllers companies keep trying to sell, and the other looks like an oh-**** handle of some sort.

Well the one immediately to the left of the control stick looks like a control called a tiller which is used in a lot of transport aircraft to steer the airplane on the ground.

[Denholm]

Originally posted by 2bighorn
Wrong. 747 has raised cockpit to maximize the floor area and to make nose cargo door, and with that loading and unloading of large cargo, possible.

If you think I was wrong then Boeing hired bad designers. When one of the multiple designers was interviewed he mentioned that. Either the designer interviewed wasn't an actual designer of the plane, or he was telling of one of the multiple security features which led to the design of the B747.

[2bighorn]

Originally posted by Denholm
If you think I was wrong then Boeing hired bad designers. When one of the multiple designers was interviewed he mentioned that. Either the designer interviewed wasn't an actual designer of the plane, or he was telling of one of the multiple security features which led to the design of the B747.

Tell that to Joe Sutter. Better yet, read his book.

On the side note, do you think C-130's design is unsafe, or C-17 and A-400 for that matter? Or just about any of commercial passenger airliners (other than 747) converted to freighter?

[Denholm]

I was congratulating Boeing (An American company) for their work in pilot safety. I was criticizing Airbus (A European company) for missing that step in pilot safety. I don't see why you came to conclusions on me disliking C-130's, C-17's, A-400's, or any other passenger airliner that doesn't have the same design and safety feature of the 747.

Simple fact, Boeing thought, and that's what I like.

[2bighorn]

Originally posted by Denholm
I was congratulating Boeing (An American company) for their work in pilot safety. I was criticizing Airbus (A European company) for missing that step in pilot safety. I don't see why you came to conclusions on me disliking C-130's, C-17's, A-400's, or any other passenger airliner that doesn't have the same design and safety feature of the 747.

Simple fact, Boeing thought, and that's what I like.

Simple fact is, raised cockpit was not the result of safety consideration but practicality of handling the cargo (loading, unloading).

Besides, the more usual cockpit placement is not less safe.