SNS COLLEGE of TECHNOLOGY (An Autonomous Institution) DEPARTMENT of AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING UNIT: 03.FLIGHT DECKS and COCKPITS
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SNS COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY (An Autonomous Institution) DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING UNIT: 03.FLIGHT DECKS AND COCKPITS TOPIC:7.HOTAS HOTAS: HOTAS an abbreviation for Hands On Throttle-And-Stick, is the name given to the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle stick and flight control stick in an aircraft‘s cockpit, allowing the pilot to access vital cockpit functions and fly the aircraft without having to remove his hands from the throttle and flight controls. Application of the concept was pioneered with the Ferranti AIRPASS radar and gunsight control system used by the English Electric Lightning[1] and is widely used on all modern fighter aircraft such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon. HOTAS is a shorthand term which refers to the pattern of controls in the modern fighter aircraft cockpit. Having all switches on the stick and throttle allows the pilot to keep his ―hands on throttle-and-stick‖, thus allowing him to remain focused on more important duties than looking for controls in the cockpit. The goal is to improve the pilot‘s situational awareness, his ability to manipulate switch and button controls in turbulence, under stress, or during high G-force maneuvers, to improve his reaction time, to minimize instances when he must remove his hands from one or the other of the aircraft‘s controls to use another aircraft system, and total time spent doing so. The concept has also been applied to the steering wheels of modern open-wheelracecars, like those used in Formula One and the Indy Racing League. HOTAS has been adapted for game controllers used for flight simulators (most such controllers are based on the F-16 Fighting Falcon‗s) and in cars equipped with radio controls on the steering wheel. In the modern military aircraft cockpit the HOTAS concept is sometimes enhanced by the use of Direct Voice Input to produce the so-called ―V-TAS‖ concept, and augmented with helmet mounted display systems such as the ―Schlem‖ used in the MiG-29 and Su-27, which allow the pilot to control various systems using his line of sight, and to guide missiles by simply looking at the target. 16402 – AVIONICS HANDS ON THROTTLE AND STICK (HOTAS) A design of a fighter cockpit so that every control switch, button, or trigger the pilot needs to operate radar, weapons, and aircraft controls in combat is located either on the throttle or the control column. Also called HOTAS—hand on throttle and stick. Fig: A typical HOTAS arrangement. Hands On Throttle-And-Stick, is the name given to the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle stick and flight control stick in an aircraft's cockpit, allowing the pilot to access vital cockpit functions and fly the aircraft without having to remove his hands from the throttle and flight controls. HOTAS allowing the modern fighter aircraft pilots to remain focused on more important duties than looking for controls in the cockpit. The goal is to improve the pilot's situational awareness, his ability to manipulate switch and button controls in turbulence, under stress, or during high G-force maneuvers, to improve his reaction time, to minimize instances when he must remove his hands from one or the other of the aircraft's controls to use another aircraft system, and total time spent doing so TYPICAL SYSTEM (F 16: HANDS – ON) The Hands-On Throttle And Stick (HOTAS) are the primary flight controls for the F-16. They are referred to as "hands-on" since many of the common tasks the pilot needs to perform can be done using buttons and switches on the throttle and stick, which precludes the pilot from having to take his hands off the controls in combat or in other high-workload situations. SIDE-STICK CONTROLLER (SSC) 16402 – AVIONICS SWITCH FUNCTION Trigger The trigger on the SSC is a two-stage trigger (similar to many computer flight sticks including the Saitek X52). The first detent performs several functions, including starting ACMI recording. The second stage fires the aircraft's cannon. Weapon Release The weapon release switch (also called the "pickle" button) is used to fire missiles, drop bombs, and jettison stores. The exact switch usage to release the weapon depends on which weapon is being used. Trim Hat This hat switch is used to control the aircraft's trim. Pressing up/down on the switch changes the pitch trim position, and pressing left/right changes the roll trim position. Most players do not use this switch, since trim is rarely required to keep the aircraft stable. Instead, it is usually used to control the view direction. Target Management Switch - Display Management Switch - Countermeasures Management The countermeasures management switch is used to control the Switch various countermeasures of the aircraft, including the jammer and chaff/flares. It is not generally simulated in Falcon 4 games, since its exact operation was unknown at the time the simulator was first created. 16402 – AVIONICS Missile Step/NWS This switch has a number of different functions depending on what mode the aircraft is in and where it is located. When the aircraft is on ground, it toggles the nose wheel steering system. If the aircraft is connected to a tanker during in-air refueling, it disconnects from the boom. If the aircraft is in A-A master mode, it is used to toggle the missile hardpoint to be used for the next launch. If the aircraft is in A-G mode, it toggles between CCRP, CCIP, and other bombing modes. Pinky Switch This switch is used to cycle the field of view for the currently selected sensor of interest. This works for many MFD pages, including the FCR, infrared/laser targeting, and the HSD. Paddle Switch This act as a momentary disconnect for the aircraft's autopilot while it is engaged. As long as the switch is held down, the pilot will have control of the aircraft (instead of the autopilot). If the autopilot is not engaged, the switch has no effect. THROTTLE The HOTAS throttle is summarized below. SWITCH FUNCTION 16402 – AVIONICS Communications Switch This switch is used to talk on various radio frequencies. This is not generally simulated in Falcon 4, although it is often used to toggle Teamspeak/Ventrilo communications. Uncage Switch This switch is used to "uncage" the seeker head for infrared missiles such as the AIM-9. When the seeker head is uncaged, it freely seeks targets and is not slaved to the aircraft's radar 16402 – AVIONICS .