In the mid 2000s, Airbus rolls out its A380 “Superjumbo,” a massive double-decker widebody that includes cockpit avionics and controls that feature full-size keyboards and wireless Ethernet connectivity.
Boeing introduces the 787 Dreamliner, which boasts the first widespread use of high-tech, nonmetallic structural components and skin materials, and an advanced head-up display in the cockpit.
As research proceeds into everything from synthetic vision to voice-recognition to touch-screen controls, cockpits are sure to continue evolving. ALPA will work to ensure that any changes made to our pilots’ “front offices” are as safe as humanly and technologically possible.
