F/A-18 Cockpit Controls and Instrumentation

Visual Overview of Cockpit Controls


F/A-18 Hornet Cockpit Layout and Control Diagram

  • The cockpit layout provides centralized and console-mounted access to flight instrumentation, engine controls, avionics, electrical power systems, lighting, and environmental management.

Primary Flight Displays and Up-Front Controls

  • Digital Display Indicators (DDI):

    • Left DDI (Digital Display Indicator): Located on the upper-left instrument panel, used for displaying primary flight, radar, tactical, or stores management information.

    • Right DDI (Digital Display Indicator): Located on the upper-right instrument panel, providing display capability for tactical displays, engine status, or radar data.

    • DDI Brightness Knobs: Independent brightness adjustment control knobs located on the upper corner of each DDI to adjust screen intensity for varying ambient light conditions.

  • Up Front Color Display (UFCD) and Integrated Controls:

    • UFCD (Up Front Color Display): Mounted directly below the Head-Up Display (HUD) in the center-top section of the main panel, providing primary communication, navigation, and system status entry interface.

    • COM1 Vol (Volume Knob): Rotary control located on the UFCD panel to adjust the audio volume level for Primary Radio Communication Channel 1 (COM1).

    • COM2 Vol (Volume Knob): Rotary control located on the UFCD panel to adjust the audio volume level for Secondary Radio Communication Channel 2 (COM2).

    • UFCD Brightness Knob: Rotary knob dedicated to controlling the backlighting and display intensity of the UFCD screen.

  • Head-Up Display (HUD) Controls:

    • HUD Mode Switch: Control toggle or switch located beneath the UFCD panel used to cycle through HUD operational display modes.

    • HUD Brightness Knob: Dedicated rotary control situated under the UFCD to adjust the symbology brightness projected on the HUD glass.

  • Safety Warning Display:

    • Safety Master Caution Light/Switch: Prominently positioned warning light and reset switch located at the top center of the instrument panel to alert the pilot to system failures or caution events.

Integrated Center Console Controls and Fuel Instrumentation

  • Engine Fuel Display (EFD) System:

    • EFD Mode Switch: Switch used to toggle the operational modes or display pages on the Engine Fuel Display.

    • EFD Brightness Knob: Control knob to adjust the illumination intensity of the EFD screen.

    • Bingo Fuel Selector: Control knob/display mechanism used to set the "Bingo" fuel threshold, which triggers a low-fuel caution when remaining fuel reaches the specified limit for returning to base.

  • Flight Navigation and Altitude Controls:

    • HDG/TK (Heading / Track Knob): Control knob for adjusting the selected heading bug or ground track marker on the flight displays.

    • ALT Selector (Altitude Selector Knob): Rotary control used to set the target altitude or reference altitude parameter.

    • Baro (Barometric Altimeter Knob): Rotary adjustment knob used to set the local barometric altimeter pressure setting.

    • AOA Indexer (Angle of Attack Indexer): Visual indexer lights mounted adjacent to the HUD frame providing real-time visual indications of optimum Angle of Attack during landing approaches.

    • MPCD (Multipurpose Color Display): Mounted lower-center on the main instrument panel, providing full-color moving map navigation, tactical situational awareness, and system status options.

Flight Controls, Trim, and Carrier Operation Systems

  • Primary Flight Control and Auto-Flight Controls:

    • Pitch & Roll Trim Switch: Control panel switch for adjusting horizontal stabilizer (pitch) and aileron (roll) trim positions.

    • T/O (Take off) Trim Reset Button: Button pressed prior to takeoff to automatically reset horizontal tail, rudder, and elevator trim surfaces to standard takeoff position settings.

    • Rudder Trim Knob: Dedicated rotary control for fine-tuning directional rudder trim.

    • Autopilot Control Switch Panel: Integrated switches/buttons located on the center sub-panel to engage or disengage autopilot functions.

    • Auto throttle Switch: Switch to engage automatic throttle control for maintaining selected airspeed or approach angle of attack.

    • Nose Wheel Steering Switch/Button: Control switch used to engage or toggle low/high gain mode on the nose wheel steering system during ground taxi operations.

  • Landing Gear and Braking Systems:

    • Landing Gear Control Lever: Main control lever located on the left side of the vertical instrument panel for raising and lowering the landing gear assembly.

    • Anti-skid Switch: Toggle switch to activate or deactivate the wheel anti-skid system during ground roll, takeoff, and landing.

    • Parking Brake Handle: Pull-and-turn handle used to set or release the mechanical/hydraulic parking brake on the main landing gear.

  • Carrier Operation Systems:

    • Hook Control Handle: Dedicated handle located on the right instrument panel used to extend or retract the arresting hook for carrier landings.

    • Wingfold Control Handle: Rotary handle situated on the right panel used to command hydraulic folding or unfolding of the outer wing sections for carrier flight deck and hangar management.

    • Flaps Control Switch: Multi-position switch located on the left console panel to control wing flap deployment.

Electrical Power and Auxiliary Engine Controls

  • Electrical Systems Control:

    • Battery Switch: Main power toggle switch located on the right console used to connect electrical power from the aircraft battery to essential buses.

    • Left & Right Generator Switches: Individual toggle switches controlling the connection of the left and right engine-driven electrical generators to the electrical supply buses.

    • External Power Switch: Control switch located on the left console panel to accept ground-supplied electrical power when connected.

  • Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) and Engine Starting Controls:

    • APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) Switch: Control switch used to start and operate the onboard Auxiliary Power Unit for pneumatic and electrical starting power.

    • APU Ready Light: Status indicator light that illuminates green when the APU has reached required operating RPM and pressure, signaling it is ready to support engine start.

    • Engine Crank Switch: Multi-position starter switch used to initiate pneumatically driven engine cranking during startup sequences.

Lighting Controls and Interior/Exterior Illumination

  • Exterior Lighting Systems:

    • Exterior Lights Master Switch: Main switch enabling or cutting off power to all exterior lighting fixtures.

    • Formation Lights Control Switch/Knob: Controls the intensity of low-voltage formation light strips located along the fuselage and wingtips.

    • Position Lights Switch: Controls steady illumination of navigation/position lights.

    • Strobe Light Switch: Controls operational modes for anti-collision flashing strobe lights.

    • Landing/Taxi Lights Switch: Toggle switch mounted on the left instrument panel to activate high-intensity forward landing and taxi illumination lamps.

  • Interior Cockpit Illumination Systems:

    • Consoles Lights Knob: Rotary control adjusting illumination brightness for left and right console side panels.

    • Instrument Panel Light Knob: Rotary control governing backlighting intensity for primary flight instruments and center panel gauges.

    • Flood Lights Knob: Rotary control adjusting overhead floodlight intensity for general cockpit night illumination.

    • Chart Light Knob: Adjustment knob controlling localized spotlight brightness for map and chart reading.

    • Warning Light Knob: Rotary adjustment controlling brightness levels of system warning and advisory lamps.

    • Annunciations Knob: Adjustment control for background brightness of advisory and caution annunciator indicator displays.

    • Nite Mode Switch: Master toggle switch optimizing instrument display backlighting and light levels for night-vision or night operations.

Environmental Control and Anti-Icing Systems

  • Environmental Control Systems (ECS):

    • Cabin Pressure Control: Multi-position selector controlling cockpit pressurization regimes.

    • Bleed Air Switch/Knob: Controls pneumatic bleed air extraction from engine compressors for ECS, cabin heating, air conditioning, and fuel tank pressurization.

  • Anti-Icing and De-Icing Systems:

    • Anti-ice Engine Switch: Activates thermal anti-icing airflow to engine inlet cowls and guide vanes to prevent ice accumulation.

    • Pitot Heat Switch: Activates electrical heating elements in pitot tubes, static ports, and angle of attack sensors to prevent icing blockage.

    • Windshield De-Ice Switch: Controls thermal or pneumatic anti-icing across the forward windshield panel to maintain forward visibility in icing conditions.

Communications, Navigation, and Audio Systems

  • Identification and Audio Controls:

    • Ident Knob: Transponder Identification button/knob used to send a forced Squawk Ident signal to Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar systems upon request.

    • Tacan Audio Level Knob: Rotary audio control panel knob mounted on the lower left console to regulate identify code beacon audio volume for Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) stations.