What are the two types of cockpits?

Are you looking at an ancient relic of a plane? Not necessarily, since there are two general types of aircraft cockpits in widespread use; the traditional (also called analog or steam gauge) cockpit, and the glass cockpit.



The two primary types of aircraft cockpits are the Analog (or "Steam Gauge") Cockpit and the Glass Cockpit. The Analog cockpit is the traditional style found in older planes, characterized by a "six-pack" of mechanical, circular dials that use physical needles to show airspeed, altitude, and heading. These are reliable but require a high "pilot scan" workload. The Glass Cockpit is the modern standard in 2026, featuring large, high-resolution digital screens (Liquid Crystal Displays). In a glass cockpit, all flight data is consolidated into a Primary Flight Display (PFD) and a Multi-Function Display (MFD), which includes moving maps, weather radar, and engine diagnostics. Most new pilots today train on "Glass" because it mirrors the technology in commercial airliners, though many still learn the basics on "Analog" to develop a better "feel" for the aircraft without relying on computer-aided visuals.

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Round dials in a cockpit, also called analog gauges, have been standard in aircraft since the early days of aviation. Glass cockpits, or electronic flight instrument systems, began appearing in commercial aircraft in the late 1990s, and by 2003 they were starting to appear in general aviation airplanes.

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In an airliner, the cockpit is usually referred to as the flight deck, the term deriving from its use by the RAF for the separate, upper platform in large flying boats where the pilot and co-pilot sat. In the USA and many other countries, however, the term cockpit is also used for airliners.

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The control stick is usually located on the floor of the cockpit; the pilot straddles it in his or her seat. Sometimes called the “joystick,” it controls the airplane's attitude and altitude like the yoke.

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The flight crew includes three persons: chief pilot, co-pilot, and navigator. The aircraft design envisages installation of an additional seat for the flight engineer. [...]

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In the past, there was always a flight engineer in the cockpit alongside the two pilots, but now only three people are on board to control the aircraft on long-haul flights, to allow for alternating rest phases. For particularly small aircraft with up to eleven passengers, only one pilot is even necessary.

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The 747-400 and follow on models do that automatically by computer. Basically the number in the cockpit crew is determined by safety. There's the basic consideration that if you had only one pilot, and that pilot died or otherwise was disabled, that might well be catastrophic.

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Answer: Yes, pilots know what every button and switch does. The school to learn the specifics of an airplane is very intense, requiring great concentration for several weeks.

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Pilots move the yoke so much when landing because they are constantly making small adjustments to ensure a safe and smooth touchdown. The pilot is monitoring the aircraft's speed, altitude, attitude, and other factors in order to make sure that all of these variables remain within acceptable limits.

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