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ECR Tornado Front Cockpit

Move the mouse pointer over the instruments to get information about it (Explorer only). With a mousklick you jump to the explaining text. This works only with a full size picture, works not with a downsized picture on responsive displays!

frontcocpit Tornado ECR

The entire front cockpit as a line drawing in an extra window:

The most importandt insturments of the front cockpit:

AOA (angle of attack) indicator

one of the most important instruments
shows the angle between the airstream an the longitudinal axis of the airplane called "Alfas"
provides evidence of an impending stall on the wings (approx. 25 alfa)
Alfas are also projected into the HUD

ADI - Attitude Director Indicator (artificial horizon)

The ADI comprises 3 different instruments:

ATTITUDE INDICATOR
TURN and SLIP INDICATOR
FLIGHT DIRECTOR: A horizontal and a vertical bar show the computer inputs to the autopilot and the terrain following radar. The autopilot basically flies behind the bars: if the horizontal bar goes up, the plane should climb (and vice versa); If the vertical bar moves to one side, the aircraft must fly a curve in that direction until the bar is in the middle again. The aircraft is then back on the calculated course. If the autopilot is switched off, the pilot has to “fly behind” the bar manually, e.g. in manual terrain following flight.

Altimeter (barometrischer Höhenmesser)

APU and engine start switches

attention getter

Red flashing warning light that comes on when on the central Warning light panel CWP, a red or yellow warning light is set due to a system error. Depending on the severity of the incident, attention is also drawn to the warning light by a siren-like sound in the intercom, the so-called “Lyre Bird”.

Auto Pilot

canopy lever - lower, raise, lock and unlock the canopy

CEDAM - Combined Elektronic Display and Map -> Vollbild

Clock

CSI - Combined Speed Indicator

Knots calibrated airspeed and machnummer.

CWP - Central Warning Panel

Errors or faults occur in an important system of the aircraft if irregularities occur, a yellow-orange or red light appears on this warning sign, which shows where the error is. Certain combinations of several warning lights indicate specific errors. Additionally, to get the crew's attention, the two arrive attention getter and a distinctive tone in the intercom.

EGT - Exhaust Gas temperature

Emergency Jettison

Also called "panic button". With the MASS in "LIVE" depending on the position of the switch, all external loads or only those selected by the WSO on the SMS (storage management system) are jettisoned.

Engine RPM Indicator

EPS - Emergency Power Supply

Emergency energy supply for the case of complete hydraulic an electrical failure, consisting of:

One shot batterie which drives:
Emergency hydraulic pump
Emergency fuel pump

ERWE - Enhanced Radar Warning Equipment

For an explanation see the "ECR-Tornado" page.

ESRRD (display for nav and low level flying radar)

Flap/Slat indicator

Fuel gauge

The fuel system consists of a rear and a front tank system, as well as tanks in the wings and external tanks under the wings and under the fuselage. The amount of fuel in the fuselage tank groups is displayed via two pointers, which can be used to see at a glance if there is a dangerous excess weight in the rear tank group (aft CG condition), because, for example. the left engine, the one from the front Tank group is supplied, had a higher fuel consumption. The Residual fuel from the wings and external tanks will be removed after actuation associated pressure switch is displayed.

Fuel flow indicator

Gear lever

g-meter

hook release

HSI - Horizontal Situation Indicator

The HSI is a multi-display instrument that provides control information for navigation and approach. To accomplish this task, it processes inputs from TACAN, UHF homing, ILS (not in German Tornados), SAHR and Main Computer MC. The instrument also provides the autopilot with directional information.

HUD - Head Up Display

Eingespiegelt werden im Normalflug Modus:

Anstellwinkel
Flugrichtung in Grad relativ zu geographisch Nord
Flughöhe (barometrische oder Radarhöhe)
Gleitwinkel
Horizont

Im Angriffsmodus:

Entfernungsinformation zum Luftzielen
Auslöseinformationen für die Waffen
Positionsmarkierung des Zieles
Einschlagpunkt der Waffe(n)

Hydraulic Pressure (Hydraulik Druck)

Late Arm Switch (Waffensicherungsschalter 2)

Neben der MASS der zweite Sicherungsschalter, der umgelegt werden muss, um die Waffen scharf zu machen und eine Auslösung zu ermöglichen.

Lift dump indication (Störklappen Lageanzeige)

LP cocks (Brandhähne)

In the event of a fire, this closes the main fuel valves. A fire that is developing or is already burning can no longer be ignited by additional fuel.

Landing/taxi light

The dazzling landing lights help the pilot at night to better estimate the distance to the ground when landing. They also signal to the air traffic controllers on the tower several miles before touchdown that the landing gear has been properly extended. Without recognizable landing lights, the aircraft will not receive permission to land, or will only receive permission to land after request (the lights can sometimes be defective). After landing, the pilot turns off the landing lights and at night turns on the taxi lights on the nose gear.

Master Armament Saftety Switch

Lockable rotary switch that can be switched from the "SAFE" position. on "LIVE" is to be switched in order to sharpen the weapons and activate the trigger circuits in conjunction with the Late Arm Switch.

Nozzle position

The diameter of the thrust nozzles can be changed and is automatically controlled by the engine control system depending on the exhaust gas temperature. The smaller the diameter, the faster the hot exhaust gases flow through and the greater the thrust. In the afterburner area, the nozzle must be opened to the maximum in order not to slow down the shock waves that arise in the exhaust gas cone. When rolling on the floor, they are also opened to the maximum (taxi nozzle) in order to keep the thrust as low as possible to protect the brakes.

Pedal adjust

Because you're in a fighter plane, not like in a car, or Passenger aircraft, which can move seats back and forth to adjust the space to the physical masses of the crew, in the Tornado the rudder pedals can be pushed back and forth.

Radar Altimeter

A small radar transmitter measures the height above ground between 0 and 5,000 feet.

Rudder Pedals

The pedals have two functions: moving the rudder and, when activated, controlling the aircraft on the ground using the nose wheel control.

Thrust reverse and position indicator

Due to the enormous asymmetries and yaw forces that can occur when full thrust reversal is applied to just one engine, it will shut down if it fails. Through a so-called "override switch" This logic can be bypassed and the thrust reversal can be carried out (sensitively) with only one engine running. A functioning thrust reverser is achieved through the display "rev - rev" displayed to the pilot after touchdown. Only now can he push the thrust levers forward to increase the braking effect.

Stick (Steuerknüppel)

Throttles

In addition to adjusting the engine performance in 3 ranges (DRY range, REHEAT range, COMBAT range), the engine levers serve a variety of other functions.

Engine power can be adjusted to:
- DRY range
- REHEAT
- COMBAT
By tilting the left (outer) throttle outwards, the lift is activated dump (spoiler on the wings) pre-selected or selected.
By tilting the right (inner) throttle outwards, the thrust reversal pre-selected or selected.
Four-way switch on the outside of the right trottle: up/down to move the flaps into the MANOUVER position, forward/back to extend and retract the airbrakes.
Push button on the outside of the right trolley, for transmitting with the set radio (UHF, VHF, HF, emergency radio)
Push button on the right front throttle to switch on the radar in air-to-air mode
Push button on the left trottle at the front to activate the AIM-9 "Sidewinder" Air-to-air missile.

Trim indicator (Trimmanzeige)

Vertical Speed Indicator VSI

Displays the current rate of climb or descent. Important on the landing approach in order to set the correct descent speed for the glide path.

Whiskey Compass

Emergency compass filled with a liquid for cushioning. Rumors say that the liquid is alcohol, but this could never be proven due to the lack of an opening for draining (otherwise all emergency compasses would be undamped after a short time anyway).

Wingsweep lever

Although any wing sweep between 25 and 67 degrees is possible between the front and rear stops, the release of the Tornado by MBB/DASA/EADS only allows 3 positions: 25 degrees, 45 degrees and 67 degrees. The wings are swiveled manually by the pilot depending on the speed (25 degrees to approx. 350 knots/Mach 0.7, 45 degrees to approx. 450 knots/Mach 0.8 and 67 degrees for everything above that), as well as the presence of external loads on the outstations and the remaining fuel in the "wing tanks".