But the aircraft's special abilities meant there were a few new switches, gauges and elements to the panels. The four engines had added afterburners, which required additional control and monitoring options. Aerodynamic features, especially the moveable nose, likewise brought more into the cockpit.

The Concorde cockpit was notoriously complex because it was designed in the 1960s, an era before "glass cockpits" and multi-functional digital displays existed. Every single system—from the four Olympus engines to the complex fuel transfer system—required its own dedicated analog dial, switch, or gauge. Because the plane flew at supersonic speeds, the crew had to manage unique variables like the movable "droop nose" for visibility during takeoff and the constant shifting of fuel between 13 different tanks to maintain the aircraft's center of gravity as it broke the sound barrier. This required a three-person crew, including a specialized Flight Engineer who sat at a massive lateral panel to monitor over 400 instruments. Modern jets hide this complexity behind a few screens, but the Concorde required every mechanical function to be manually visible and adjustable by the flight crew.