The cockpit - termed the flight deck - is a small, usually enclosed compartment located in the forward fuselage of an airplane. From this forward station the pilot and other crew exercise complete authority over the vehicle, manipulating flying controls while reading the instrument panel that displays altitude, airspeed, and navigation data. In most modern layouts the cockpit is separated from the passenger cabin, forming the nerve-centre or heart of the aircraft where every command is processed through integrated technology.
Expert behind this article
Jim Goodrich
Jim Goodrich is a pilot, aviation expert and founder of Tsunami Air.
What is a cockpit in an airplane?
The cockpit or flight deck is the area on the front part of an aircraft, spacecraft, or submersible. The cockpit of an aircraft contains the controls that enable the pilot to fly the aircraft. The cockpit contains flight instruments on an instrument panel. The pilot sits positioned in the cockpit and controls the vehicle.
In an airplane the cockpit is the section where the pilot manages the aircraft. This space is usually enclosed in the forward fuselage of an airplane and serves as the office for the pilot. From this area the pilot operates instruments and controls, making it the command centre that is tightly organised and packed with technology. Whether in small or large aircraft, the cockpit is the seat the pilot straps into for the entire flight, operating the engine and transmitting data to pilot and co-pilot alike.
Why is a plane cockpit called a cockpit?
The use of the term cockpit can be traced back to a time before airplanes existed. On sailing vessels the place from where a coxswain controlled the boat was known as a cockpit. When the first manned aircraft called Wright Flyer did not have a cockpit, pilots usually just ‘winged it'. Yet almost a decade later, more advanced aircraft featured an isolated area with flight controls. Many aviation terms were derived from nautical traditions and ‘cockpit’ was one of many nautical expressions borrowed by early aviators. Aviation companies only started using the term around 1915, and pilots in World War I used analogy to call enclosed seats ‘cockpit’ because early enclosed pilot positions resembled cockpits. Thereafter, the moniker was adopted in aviation, and later Boeing started calling it a flight deck, a term that derives from its use by the RAF for the separate, upper platform in large flying boats where pilot and co-pilot sat.
Jim GoodrichPilot, Airplane Broker and Founder of Tsunami Air
Where is the cockpit on a plane?
On most commercial jets, the cockpit sits in the forward fuselage, just ahead of the passenger cabin, giving pilots the forward field of vision and placing the controls close to the nose. Designers locate it high in the aircraft profile so that the forward windows clear the runway during take-off and landing while keeping the occupants above most potential impacts or foreign-object strikes.
Why is the cockpit located in the upper part of commercial planes? The immediate reason is visibility: a raised position shortens the pilot's sight-line past the nose and over the engines. Placing the flight deck on the upper level frees the lower fuselage space for continuous cargo holds and allows the nose to hinge open for freight loading without disturbing the controls. In the Boeing 747 the nose door swings upward during cargo operations, so the cockpit of the 747 is on the upper deck. The front bay accepts full-size pallets or containers. The cockpit of the A380 is situated on the lower deck. Its designers elected to leave an uninterrupted upper passenger deck and took advantage of the two-level layout to recess the flight crew station one step down, yet the same principle applies: separating the crew compartment from high-density cargo zones in the lower fuselage optimises concentration of weight, streamlines loading, and preserves direct forward vision.
Is the pilot in the cockpit?
Yes, the pilot seats in the cockpit. In most airplanes, the primary pilot sits on the left side of the cockpit, using the right hand to operate throttles and other pedestal instruments. The co-pilot sits in the right seat and assists the captain with navigation, communication, and aircraft control. In helicopters, the pilot is on the right and the co-pilot on the left.
Pilots control the vehicle from the cockpit. During the cruise phase, pilots are generally free to leave the cockpit. However, regulations demand that at least two people must be in the cockpit at all times when the aircraft is airborne. If one pilot wants to leave, the pilot must call in a flight attendant to maintain that minimum. Under the emerging eMCO concept, only one pilot remains at the controls for extended periods while the second resting pilot is located outside the flight deck, yet the same two-person rule always applies whenever the aircraft is airborne.
What is the function of the cockpit in an aircraft?
The two main functions of the cockpit are to provide the pilot with a good angle and to make all control mechanisms accessible to them. The cockpit allows a pilot to control the vehicle and to manage the aircraft. To achieve this, the cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments that serve as the eyes and ears of the aircraft. These instruments guarantee that everything runs smoothly and monitor the electrical systems, engine performance, attitude, altitude, speed and navigation. Display devices take raw information from aircraft cockpit systems and transmit data to pilots via screens. Today's pilots get most of the information they need on a few sharp and clear liquid crystal displays. The primary flight display, a digital display located in front of the pilot, provides vital flight information in a clear and concise manner, while the multi-function display offers additional data and navigation options, both designed to increase pilot situational awareness and to avoid information overload.
The electronic flight instrument system integrates all flight data into one electronic display, and heads-up displays give pilots real-time data, further assisting them in maintaining situational awareness. Navigation systems include GPS, VOR and ILS equipment, and weather radar monitors adverse weather conditions so pilots can avoid them. Autopilot systems assist pilots in maintaining stable flight, and transponders help identify the aircraft on radar and aid in collision avoidance. For safety, the cockpit contains an emergency locator transmitter that helps search and rescue teams locate the aircraft in case of an emergency landing, a flight data recorder that records flight data for investigation purposes, and emergency oxygen used in case of cabin depressurization, while cabin pressure control maintains a comfortable cabin atmosphere.
The cockpit is the aircraft's mind, a compartment that synthesizes information into a consistent picture of condition, route, altitude, and orientation. Gauges are placed immediately in the aviator's line of view so that every display, control, and indicator provides its function without delay. This design is intended to combine vital details into a core. When artificial devices malfunction, the layout lets the crew depend on alternate devices and basic abilities to maintain command.
What are all the controls in a cockpit?
The controls in a cockpit include the airspeed indicator, altimeter, attitude indicator, heading indicator, turn coordinator, vertical speed indicator. The yoke, called a control column or side-stick, governs the aircraft's roll and pitch by moving the ailerons and elevators. Turning the yoke left or right moves the ailerons and pushing it forward or backward moves the elevators. Engine control is managed through the throttle quadrant, which contains the throttle, mixture, and propeller flap handle. The throttle controls engine power, while the mixture controls, distinguished by red buttons, adjust the fuel-air mixture. The fuel selector switch allows switching between the left tank, right tank, or both, and the fuel shutoff button, a red button, is located beneath the trim controls.
Secondary controls include flaps and landing gear. The attitude indicator shows the airplane's pitch and bank relative to the horizon and is sometimes called an artificial horizon. The altimeter shows altitude above mean sea level. The airspeed indicator is like the speedometer of a car. The heading indicator, called a directional gyro, shows direction relative to magnetic north. The turn coordinator indicates the rate of turn, and the vertical speed indicator shows the rate of climb or descent. Primary flight instruments measure air pressure information from the pitot-static tube mounted on the leading edge of the wing. Navigation displays are part of the avionics, which include GPS systems, VOR, ILS, radios, and transponders. Radios are used to communicate with air traffic control and other aircraft. The flight management system (FMS) helps pilots recalculate alternate routes quickly in emergencies and calculates the most fuel-efficient route, optimal cruising altitude, and descent profiles. Pilots enter the flight plan into the FMS before departure.
What are the types of aircraft cockpits?
The types of aircraft cockpits are outlined below.
- Analog Cockpits: The traditional “steam gauge” (analog) cockpit is built around familiar round-dial instruments, including the classic “six-pack.” These instruments teach pilots the fundamentals of aircraft control and performance through a simple, direct presentation of flight information. Advantages of analog cockpits include simple presentation, cheaper costs, and better resilience in case of electrical failures.
- Glass Cockpits: Glass cockpit systems replace traditional analog gauges with digital flight displays like the Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Multi-Function Display (MFD). These screens combine key flight data - altitude, airspeed, attitude, navigation, and engine information - into clear, easy-to-read formats. Advantages of glass cockpits include refined situational awareness, moving map and navigation overlays, and clear and consolidated flight data.
What is cockpit design?
Cockpit design is the deliberate designing of the front part of an aircraft where the operators are seated, so that every control, display, and seat supports safe and efficient interface with the pilots. It begins with the placement of controls within easy reach of the pilot's hands, the visibility of instruments from a defined Design Eye Position - the three-dimensional point where all displays are visible - and the accessibility of vital functions under high-workload periods like take-off, landing, and abnormal conditions. Seat comfort, glare-free positioning of multifunction displays, and color-coded electronic flight displays are arranged to minimize glare and maximize line-of-sight, replacing the traditional array of separate gauges with a fully digital glass cockpit that integrates avionics and reduces the need for flight engineers.
The discipline draws equally on cognitive science, neuroscience, anthropometry, and human-computer interaction to create an ergonomic workspace that minimizes both physical and cognitive workload. Human engineering ensures that controls are effectively organized and that each step of interaction with automation requires the minimum number of recalls of memorized action sequences, thereby reducing human error and refining crew performance during different phases of flight. Usability studies continuously test and adjust the layout so that pilots can find or enter information quickly, while organizations like the FAA and NASA, together with aviation human factors experts, investigate accidents and issue recommended practices that keep displays visible and controls easily accessible.
Modern cockpits are innovative, highly integrated systems whose advancement is guided by a search for reduced pilot fatigue, additional flight safety, and overall operational effectiveness. Advancements in technology like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, eye-tracking, and even neural interfaces are influencing the future of cockpit design. Yet the fundamental goal remains unchanged: to present all important information in a user-friendly way, seamlessly linking pilots to their aircraft and to the world outside.
