Rockwell Collins introduce touch control flight displays

Rockwell Collins has
unveiled the first touch-control primary flight displays for business jets and
turboprop aircraft, which will be available on future applications of the
company’s Pro Line Fusion avionics system.

The new system will be
on display at the EAA AirVenture this week.

“These
displays demonstrate our focus on empowering pilots with natural head-up,
eyes-forward interfaces,” said Colin Mahoney, vice president of Sales and
Marketing for Rockwell Collins. “Touch-controlled, icon-based controls on the
main displays help keep pilots’ attention focused up and forward for safer and
more efficient flying.”

Mahoney
further illustrated the ease and simplicity of the displays. “For example, when
programming the flight management system, instead of entering information on a
console-mounted keypad, pilots can redirect to a graphically displayed waypoint
or destination with a single swipe of a finger.” Other simple gestures directly
on a map display would control panning and zoom features.

Another
benefit of the new displays is a streamlined learning cycle for pilots
transitioning to a new aircraft type, enabled by the user-friendly, icon-based
graphical user interface.