Howdy,
A couple of things in my private e-mail brought up cockpit design
again. So, I just thought I'd post my updated version about
cockpit design. I've changed a few things since you all saw it
last.
Question: Just how do the different alien races design their
control panels. We kinda take it for granted that they are
different, but just how different are they? For simplicity's
sake I just took a look at pilot stations.
I'm assuming that a grav vehicle's throttle will basically be
similar to a helicopter's collective control. While the attitude
control of grav vehicle and helicopters will be very similar as
both perform the same operations. No, there is no steering wheel
in an air/raft!
SOLOMANI (start off simple right?)
Solomani and most Imperial flight controls generally consist
of stick, throttle, and rudder pedals. The stick is usually
mounted in the center of the console, but is sometimes on the left
side, while the right hand generally controls the throttle. This
allows the co-pilot or navigator (generally seated on the right) to
be able to reach the throttle. If the pilot were incapacitated,
the co-pilot can easily take control. If the stick is on the left
side, it and the throttle are mounted in the arms of the
acceleration couch. This allows the pilot to rest his arms on the
chair. This can be nice when you don't have inertial compensators
working.
On most ships, especially fighters, all combat and
communication functions are mounted on the stick and throttle.
This allows a pilot to conduct all combat operations without having
to move his hands to different controls. This design philosophy is
known as HOTAS. (Hands On Throttle And Stick)
Darrians tend to use Solomani control design philosophy,
though with a greater emphasis on center mounted sticks. This is
because of the high proportion of ambidextrousness and left
handedness in Darrian gene pools.
VILANI
Vilani controls are a bit more automated. Auto pilots tend
to be a bit more sophisticated (and are heavily relied on) The
control lay out is on the clumsy side. Engineers opted for a
single design to ease training of pilots and to avoid their
having to study their ship to understand what is going on. Thus
the same control panel exists on a Vilani fat trader as exists
on their air/rafts and their most sophisticated fighters. The
compromise design is good, but any compromise in engineering tends
to lessen performance.
Vilani attitude controls look like a cross between a
control yoke and motorcycle handle bars. Rudder pedals are not
present as they are in Solomani designs, and yaw control is linked
to the handle bars. Yaw movement is coordinated with the roll
control producing a controlled turn and bank. Flying a Vilani
built craft is very similar to driving a ground car. The lack of
individual yaw makes a cross controlled 'slip' maneuver somewhat
more difficult in Vilani aircraft.
Lack of yaw control is compensated for by the presence of
crosswind landing gear. Crosswind gear allow the craft to land
while the ship's nose is not pointing along the direction of
travel. The gear is mounted on casters akin to the wheels on a
shopping cart. However, they make high speed taxi difficult and
hazardous as the wheels do not aide in turning the aircraft.
The throttle is mounted on the left handle bar as if it were
a motorcycle. This allows for a HOTAS system.
Many minor races prefer Vilani flight control system layouts
as they are among the simplest human layouts to operate for most
manipulatory appendages. They do not require input from the feet
and can usually be managed with one hand or other appendage.
Another advantage is that Vilani systems do not require the foot
pedal rudder controls of standard Imperial equipment: Difficult to
manage when your feet are like a rhino's, or you don't have feet...
LLELLEWYLOLY and VIRUSHI prefer Vilani layouts.
ZHODANI
Almost all Zhodani pilots come from the noble ranks. Flight
controls for their ships are open for flicking. Thus the
psi-trained Zhodani pilot may change the ship's attitude, throttle
settings, and weapons by flicking. Special safe guards are in
place to prevent outside psionic interference in the piloting of
the ship. Up to and including a psi-shield surrounding the
pilot's station. This is demonstrated in the Shivva class patrol
frigate and her fighters. The fighter pilots are open to
telepathic contact from their flight controller, but the flight
controller can not affect flight controls of the fighter.
There also exist manual controls for all craft. Not all
pilots are nobles, and enlisted & prole pilots use the manual
controls. Also proles operating grav vehicles and the like have a
need for manual controls. While one would think that manual flight
controls would be of lesser quality because of the dependance on
psi-controls, this is far from the truth. With their wealth of
insight into the human mind, data presentation among the Zhodani
is a fine art. Screens with flight data are very well presented
in such a manner so as not to swamp the pilot with data.
However, manual controls do tend to receive secondary attention
in Zhodani cockpit design.
Controls are generally mounted on the arms of the flight
acceleration couch. The stick is generally mounted on the left,
and the throttle on the right. Often times, with a Psionic pilot
in command, the controls are stowed inside the chair arms and,
with a press of a switch, can be deployed in emergencies.
Yaw control is subsumed into the stick in a rotational
manner. Turn the stick to the right and the ship yaws right.
This last is a reflection of how manual flight controls are
considered secondary.
(MOTAS? Mind On Throttle And Stick?)
VARGR
Vargr flight controls do not follow general lines making it
difficult to generalize. But, their control systems tend to be
similar to human designs at least where hands are concerned.
Their digitigrade stance makes their foot controls quite
different. Rudder pedals are rare, and yaw control tends to be
absorbed into the stick as Vilani and Zhodani designs.
Aslan control systems are sometimes copied by Vargr.
ASLAN
Aslan flight controls are a set of half gloves set into the
arms of the acceleration couch. They look somewhat like large
balls on the ends of the chair arms. The hand is placed atop the
ball in deep indentations in it for the hand. (Picture a big wax
ball with a hole the shape of your hand melted into it.) (Rather
like Hiver controls with deeper indentations)
This design meshes with the Aslan philosophy that the ship
is but an extension of the pilot. The 'gloves' make the ship
part of him. The ship follows the motion of the hand, much as a
human stick would do. The extension of the dew-claw fires the
ships weapons on ship's where the pilot is in control of the guns.
A similar control is for the aiming and firing of ship's weapons.
Attitude control is usually controlled by both hands on
separate controls. With roll and pitch on one hand and yaw on the
other. Though some control units have pitch, roll and yaw all on
one ball. Throttle control is in foot pedals.
DROYNE
Droyne controls are one of the most unusual. Attitude
controls are mounted beside the pilot. They are low level infra-
red sensors that sense the position of the pilot's wings and
tail. Though the Droyne generally have great difficulty in
flying, they do still possess the equipment for rudimentary
flight, and the instincts to do so (though buried). To raise the
nose of the ship, the pilot would increase the angle of attack of
his wings. The sensors see the change in wing angle and perform
the maneuver. If the pilot raises his right wing, the ship will
bank left, and so on.
Yaw maneuvering is controlled by tail movement.
Throttle control is based around the width which the wings are
spread. The closer the wings are drawn in, the higher the thrust.
Much as a flying droyne would pull his wings in while diving.
Pilots usually wear a small set of infra-red reflectors
(looking something like large clip on earrings) around the joints
in their wings and tail to aid in the sensing of the pilots wing
positions. These IR reflectors are part of a Droyne pilot's
uniform. Sufficiently high technology (TL 10) allows sufficient
sensor capability that these reflectors are not necessary, but they
continue to be worn as the mark of a pilot.
Below TL 8, Droyne pilots must rely on boosted mechanical
linkages from to their wings to the flight controls.
AEL YAEL, while unable to build ships will commonly adapt
control panels to this type of configuration.
HIVERS
Hiver controls are balls mounted with control studs. This is
the form best suited 'ergonomically` to their limbs. Control is
similar to a control stick in terms of attitude (forward, back,
turn etc.). Throttle control is based on the amount of pressure
exerted on the control ball. The tighter the grip, the more thrust
applied. Hiver controls are very difficult for anyone but a hiver
to operate, thus, many of their ships employ dual control panels,
to allow for a member race to use them. The Federation Member
control panels are similar to Aslan designs, though the indentation
in the control globes is not so deep as the Aslan half gloves.
This arrangement allows the hiver better control than he would
manage with a Solomani design.
K'KREE
The K'Kree have probably the most bizarre arrangement of
attitude control. The pilot lies in a couch arrangement with his
four hooves touching the floor. By leaning in one direction or
another, the ship's attitude is changed. It looks something like
flying a hang glider. To roll left, lean left. To lower the
nose: lean forward. To pull up: lean back. Yaw control is by
twisting the body to the right or left. Throttle control is by
hand levers.
The leaning method of attitude control dates back to the
earliest K'kree experiments in flight. Their earliest gliders
used this method of steering, then their primitive aircraft.
After that, it was too entrenched in conservative K'kree
engineering philosophy to ever change.
VEGANS (Not the nuts with vegetables :-)
Vegan flight controls are geared toward their own set of
unique physiology. They rely heavily on inertial compensators as
their somewhat weak limbs have difficulty overcoming high
acceleration. Ships which do not have inertial compensators in the
entire ship will nevertheless have a region where they are
installed: around the pilot.
Controls are mounted in sockets inside the acceleration couch.
A pilot inserts his tentacles into the sockets to make control
adjustments. The position of the tentacles is sensed and attitude
adjustments are made.
Vegan control consoles look somewhat strange to human eyes in
that all controls are mounted very close together in a very compact
data presentation. This is because of the construction of the
Vegan neck which restricts side to side head movements.
AGRICOLANS
(Remember an Agricolan looks like a swimming Tyrannosaurus.)
Agricolans being powerful swimmers, have adapted to using
their powerful rudder-like tails as direction and attitude control.
Their control mechanisms are somewhat similar to the mechanical
Droyne flight controls, though none of the IR systems are present.
The Agricolan lies prone on its belly, with its tail fitted into a
holder linked to the control systems. Throttle control is by foot
pedals, while other controls (communications, weapons) are mounted
up by the Agricolan's small manipulator hands.
R-Alpha's Phins probably use something similar.
Copyright 1992 Scott S. Kellogg
Whaddya think?
Scott 2G Kellogg
Ross for Boss! Ross For Boss!