star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

Ask any fan of Golden Age classic arcade machines what their fondest recollection of the era is, and it is likely that Atari’s seminal Star Wars game is going to be mentioned by most. Released in 1983, the game is indeed a true classic and is arguably one of the best uses of a licence ever in a video game. Based on the action seen in the film, this full colour vector game drops the player into the Star Wars Universe. And despite being ultimately not much more than an on-rails shooter, it is a great game, that puts the player inside an X-Wing Fighter craft as Luke Skywalker travelling through space to shoot down enemy Tie-Fighters.

Once the enemies are cleared the player arrives at the Death Star to shoot down Towers and turrets, all the while being encouraged to “use the force” by a digitized Alec Guinness. But it is perhaps the game’s final sequence that captures the imagination the most; the player is able to barrel down the Death Star’s “trench” to the game’s ultimate spectacular grand finale:

The actual game started life as something else entirely – Warp Speed. This was the game that engineer Jed Margolin had in his head to develop from his very first day at Atari:

The Star Wars game came about because I wanted to do a 3D space war game. I mean, I really wanted to do a 3D space war game. It is why I went to work for Atari.

I think that was the most excited I’ve ever been in my life! They could have picked people like Ed Logg or Ed Rotberg, who had superiority over me. I’d just come off the Gravitar and Akka Arrh games, but for some reason they choose me to run the project and design the game. I didn’t know how much work it was going to be but I wanted to make sure I got the best team and made the best game. Star Wars was such an important title. I just wanted to make sure it was top-notch.

….If the player hits it, he is treated to a colourful display or explosion and gets one free turn (free life) then continues to the next wave of normal game play….

At some point during the development of Warp Speed, Atari agreed a partnership with Lucasfilm, picking up the rights to develop new games under the Star Wars franchise. Sensing an opportunity to attach his game to this high-profile IP, Jed suggested to the powers that be at Atari that his vision for Warp Speed would be a sound platform on which to build a Star Wars themed game. Management duly agreed, perhaps with some relief that someone had proactively suggested a solution to a tricky project.

Like most games, several elements were considered and then dropped or adapted to improve the player experience during the development of Star Wars. Here are a couple of story boards developed by Atari when putting the game mechanics together. You can click each image for a larger version:

But it is the cockpit cabinet itself that defined Atari’s Star Wars arcade game. Subject matter and game play elements aside, it is this iconic looking cabinet that drew the quarters and secured its place in the arcade history books. In writing this article, I was able to track down and talk with Mike Jang, who was an industrial designer at Atari. Mike would work with his colleagues in mocking up and designing the physical and ergonomic side of Atari’s arcade machines.

Here, Jang’s colleague Barney Huang sits inside a very early cockpit prototype (made largely of cardboard pieces!). you can make out some similarities to the final Star Wars cockpit from these images:

I started the concepts for the Star Wars cabinet and later another designer did more detailed work on the plastic part in front of the monitor. One of the main elements I sketched up were the hydraulic ram shapes on the plastic parts. Those rams were often seen in the movie, especially the ramp to the Millennium Falcon.Also I wanted to continue the mechanical theme by adding that truss style design to the sides of the roof. I was concerned because that was a particle board part that was cut with an angled router bit.  Then the bare particle board was just painted black.  I was worried about the wood texture appearance but nobody noticed after everything else was put in place.

We knew it would be perfect for a sitdown cab as well as a standup. That’s why we made such cool mouldings around the monitor and used this see-through dark Perspex, so people could see what was going on. And we spent a long time working on the controller so [the whole cockpit experience] felt just right.

With the cabinet design approved by Lucasfilm, it was time to start sharing the actual game with them for approval and feedback. Memos went back and forth between Atari and Lucasfilm with ideas and questions about the proposed game. I’ve found an interesting document which details actual feedback from the Lucasfilm team on some of the suggested game play elements proposed by Atari. (I’m guessing the handwriting top right is from Mike Hally himself)

The key difference between the upright and sitdown cockpit cabinets aside from the seating position, was the larger monitor used in the cockpit version of the game. A 25″ Amplifone (vs a 19″ Wells Gardner in the upright) really does add to the impact of the visuals.

So with a thumbs up from the creator of Star Wars himself, the game was put into production and released in 1983. Here is a Projected Materials Cost Estimate document prepped by Mike Hally for the upright cabinet. Makes for interesting reading:

Getting the game out to market was arguably pretty easy – with the attachment of the Star Wars franchise to the game, and housing it inside Mike Jang’s glorious cockpit cabinet, players armed with coins ready to play were drawn in.

Atari sold just over 12,000 Star Wars cabinets in total, consisting of 10,245 uprights and 2,450 cockpits. With an assumed margin of around $1,000 per cabinet, this was a multi-million dollar earner for Atari’s coin-op division, and I would suggest was one of its greatest arcade games ever, despite being released during Atari’s arcade twilight years.

Atari’s Star Wars remains a classic slice of arcade history. It has everything going for it – great vector visuals, the Star Wars IP, fabulous artwork and an iconic design that holds up to this day. You can find cockpits out there in the wild still. Do try to seek one out and experience the ride.

star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

When it comes to movie-themed toy tie-ins, no film will ever compare to Star Wars. In the nearly four decades since the first film hit theaters, almost every character, vehicle, and location from the franchise has been made into a figure or playset, and kid and adult fans alike purchased—and continue to buy—as many as they could afford. In honor of Star Wars Day, we decided to take a look at some of the figures that you may have owned that are now worth a fortune. To do so, we enlisted the help of the man who literally wrote the book on the subject: Mark Bellomo, toy expert, mental_floss contributor and author of The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Star Wars Action Figures 1977-1985 (among many, many other books on toys).

Bellomo tells mental_floss that his love of the Star Wars universe began with the release of the first film in 1977; his connection to the toy line began the next year, when he got his first C-3PO figure. He now owns every vintage figure ever made, including the "impossible to find" Early Bird Certificate Package. With doubles and multiples of many figures and sets, Bellomo could not give a ballpark estimate of how many pieces are in his collection. Suffice it to say there are a lot, and some were harder to track down than others.

"It took me two years to obtain a sealed bag of foam "trash" for the Death Star Space Station playset," Bellomo says. "As for crown jewels, I have about 150 to 250 mint on sealed card (MOSC) vintage Star Wars figures and a bunch of factory sealed playsets and vehicles, most of which never made it into The Ultimate Guide due to space restrictions."

According to Bellomo, there"s usually a spike in vintage Star Wars figure prices when there"s a major media tie-in (new films, cartoons, or shows made available on streaming platforms), but it"s also a case of limited supply and high demand; a lot of collectors want the toys, but the number of vintage figures is finite, which increases their value like a piece of fine art. Millions of figures have been produced over the years (the Kenner company shipped an estimated 250 million Star Wars figures by 1985), so what happened to most of them? "Think of it this way," Bellomo says. "How many people do you think would have bought a Star Wars figure in the spring of 1977 and saved it in its original packaging?" The answer is: Not very many, which is why mint condition versions of the 10 toys listed below are worth a fortune to collectors.

Standing 7.5-inches tall, this wheeled figure featured a secret compartment that opened to reveal an electronic circuit card and plans for the Death Star. The value of this figure is highly dependent on the color: The white plastic commonly turns yellow when exposed to sunlight or heat, so the whiter this 38-year-old R2 unit is, the more he"s worth.

Slightly less menacing than the enormous Jawa Sandcrawler from Star Wars, this toy is still in high demand 37 years after its release, and 39 years since the vehicle first appeared on screen in Star Wars: A New Hope, Bellomo says. Even its removable pieces purchased alone are valuable: Elevator stairs and hatches can be found online for three times what the entire toy cost nearly four decades ago.

Pieces on pieces on pieces! This playset had a number of removable components, including weapons, a cockpit canopy windshield, a game table, landing gear, a secret compartment, and a lightsaber training set like the one Luke uses in the film. Finding all the pieces together is rare, but some sellers do offer accessories on their own. "With most "80s toys that possess a bevy of difficult-to-find accessories, more money can be made sometimes selling the toys piecemeal," Bellomo says. "With some vintage toys, an accessory or accoutrement may be worth more money than the entire shell/hull of the vehicle."

This rare set was sold only in the 1980 Sears Wish Book, so if your family belonged to that exclusive club, you may remember it. It came with a backdrop and four action figures: “Han Solo in his Bespin outfit, Lobot, Dengar, and Ugnaught.” This piece is valuable because the materials used to make it weren"t necessarily built to last decades. "Most exclusive Star Wars toys constructed out of chipboard are getting more and more difficult to obtain on the secondary market," Bellomo says. "Star Wars is a multi-generational global brand: Every aficionado wants to own one of each piece from the vintage Star Wars line ... The Sears exclusive Cloud City Playset is getting more difficult to find in decent condition—and more expensive, too."

When Bellomo wrote the prices for his guide between March and May of 2014, one of these mint condition figures in its original package (MOC, or "mint on card") was worth between $1250 and $1400—but the price has since skyrocketed because "it was produced in far fewer numbers, and the card artwork is uniquely different," he says. "Anything related to him is collectible." Boba Fett, who was first introduced (in animated form) in The Star Wars Holiday Special in 1978, remains one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe, and collectors are eager to obtain the gold-plated coin and jet black Imperial Blaster included with this figure.

star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

Magic Jump"s OfficialSTAR WARS Millennium FalconHyperspace Jump Experience is the most unique inflatable attraction in the galaxy -- and it"s unlike any playland, combo unit or obstacle course ever seen before.

This Millennium Falcon Bounce House is an inflatable version of theMillennium Falcon, the legendary spaceship inStar Warsmade famous by Han Solo and Chewbacca for its many adventures…and for famously making the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs.

The exterior of the Millennium Falcon bounce house features a comprehensive application of the actual graphics of theMillennium Falcon"sarmored hull, while the interior contains iconic features seen inStar Warsmovies.

Passengers will encounter an inflatable Chewbacca as they enter and an R2-D2 inflatable replica and C-3PO graphic as they jump their way around the ship. Passengers will feel the rush as they imagine piloting theMillennium Falconlike Han Solo and Chewbacca as they explore the cockpit area; pretend to operate the cockpit"s master control panel with its gears, switches, and buttons; and eject themselves down a small slide.

In the main cabin, they"ll come across inflatable pop-up obstacles such as a bunk, storage container, and holo-map where they can see a holographic-like rendering of the Death Star. Passengers can step up to the laser cannon turret where they can pretend to defend against Imperial forces, and they can also pretend to play dejarik at the hologame table. The pièce de ré·sis·tance is the taller climber and slide in the center of the ship with ceiling hatch graphic showing explosive battle with a Star Destroyer and TIE fighters.

Featured in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rise of Skywalker

The Original Millennium Falcon ship belongs to Han Solo, but you can still see & experience the inflatable version of the interior & exterior layout, escape pod, cockpit, schematics, diagrams of the one and only yt 1300 Corellian Light Freighter.

star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

After watching Star Wars while it was on a TBS Marathon this weekend, that same "shiny star symbol" can be seen on several terminals in the Rebel Base on Yavin as well. I am sure that it was used several times as "technological filler" and one could spot it in the original trilogy - maybe add it to the drinking game list.

star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

Looking for the best Lego Star Wars sets in the galaxy? You"re in the right place. Since it began in 1999, Lego"s Star Wars range has been consistently one of the most popular. From micro-scale models of TIE Fighters to gargantuan recreations of the Millennium Falcon, there"s a Lego Star Wars set to suit all ages, skills and price ranges. And we"re here to help you find the best sets for you.

There have been over 800 Lego Star Wars sets released in the last 20 years, spanning the full Skywalker Saga and just about every Star Wars spin-off there"s ever been. Not every one of those 800 sets has been unique: for example, we"ve had no less than eight different version of Luke Skywalker"s Landspeeder. And many of them have long since retired, of course, but even now there are over 80 Star Wars sets currently available(opens in new tab) on Lego"s website.

So: just how do you pick out the best Lego Star Wars sets? Hopefully we can help. In this guide, we"ve rounded up our favorite Star Wars sets currently available, and we"ve split them into four handy categories based on price. Whether you"re looking for a sub-$30 set, a Lego Star Wars set under $100, under $250 or the biggest, most expensive, we"ve got you covered.

Want help choosing another Lego set? Follow the links through to our buyer"s guides for the best Lego space sets and best Lego Marvel sets. And if you"re looking for a great deal, head on over to our Lego Star Wars deals, best Lego deals and Lego space deals pages.

One of the most iconic ships in Star Wars history, the Imperial TIE Fighter is a great addition to any collection. A solid build that comes with a cockpit that opens and can fit mini figures inside, the Imperial TIE Fighter is the ideal set for someone just getting into Lego Star Wars, or for a collector who wants a whole fleet on his shelf.

Lego has been doing a really good job recently of creating sets for iconic Lego Star Wars ships that won’t break the bank. As more and more young viewers get into the franchise, this line of ships under £50 is a great way to collect some of the best designs ever, without having to fork out for the UCS series.

Lego Star Wars Boba Fett was part of the first wave of Lego helmets to come along back in 2020, and since then many others have spawned. Boba Fett remains one of the most popular, though, and it’s not hard to see why. Its design is iconic, and the color scheme makes it stand out against more monochromatic sets in the range, like the all-black Darth Vader or all-white Stormtrooper.

One of the newest Lego Star Wars helmets available, The Mandalorian Helmet is every bit as wonderful as it should be. Looking at it, you can almost hear Din Djarin’s gruff but lovable voice coming out of it. All it’s missing is a little Grogu peering over its shoulder, but we can’t have everything.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of The Mandalorian, or you simply want a way to represent one of the cutest characters in a galaxy far, far away, The Child build-and-display model is a wonderful set. While some of the building instructions could be slightly clearer, and there’s not a great variety in the bricks included, once built, it looks fantastic on a shelf. Not to mention the poseable ears that add plenty of character to the small green alien that stole the hearts of so many, including The Mandalorian himself.

Since he first stepped foot onto our screens in 1977, Darth Vader has become an icon of not only Star Wars, but cinema as a whole. One of the most iconic outfits and helmets of all time, it’s only natural that Darth Vader has received many Lego recreations. This Lego Star Wars set captures his helmet well, but there’s a bit of a problem. While Darth Vader’s helmet is legendary, it’s almost entirely black which makes it a bit of a boring build, and also somewhat confusing.

The Bad Batch Attack Shuttle is unique in the fact that it essentially provides three sets in one. You get five Bad Batch minifigures (plus a Gonk Droid Lego figure), two speeder bikes, and a shuttle which essentially makes this Lego Star Wars set more of a playset than a display item.

There’s much fun to be had with the adjustable wings for landing/flight mode and the spring-loaded shooters. Plus, you can even flip open the cockpit and see the detailed cabin inside The Bad Batch Attack Shuttle. It’s also a great way to get many exclusive figures, each sporting unique versions of the iconic clone trooper armor. This whole set is very accurate to the Star Wars: The Bad Batch TV show, capturing its visuals well. A must-have for fans of the Clone Force 99 missions.

Yoda is undoubtedly one of the most popular – and most easily recognizable – characters in the whole of the Star Wars universe. His charm is perhaps only matched by the recent addition of Grogu in The Mandalorian, Disney+’s TV series, but the original green fellow is still loved by many. And so this Lego representation of him is delightful in just about every way.

Would you like a Millennium Falcon Lego set that doesn’t require you to move into a new five-bedroom house to store it? Well, you’re in luck. Following the redesign in 2017 for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, this new Millennium Falcon design was used again for Rise of Skywalker, giving us an affordable option that looks great.

The Razor Crest is one of the very best designs of the modern Star Wars era. Everything about The Mandalorian was so cool, combining retro Star Wars aesthetics with modern technology to make something that just looks fantastic – it’s as if the Razor Crest could have been a discarded concept ship from the 70s.

If you asked for the Lego Star Wars AT-AT, you might initially have a heart attack at the price. There"s now a $850 AT-AT(opens in new tab) model in the Lego Star Wars family, making it the most expensive set in the history of the line. But, fear not, there’s a cheaper set that looks almost as good, even if it’s about half the size.

The Lego AT-AT comes with a cool selection of minifigures, and has space inside the model to display them. The legs could be a bit sturdier, but considering they were taken down by a dinky little ship with a bit of cable strapped to the end, it might be a more realistic depiction of the walker than we first thought.Be sure to check out our in-depthLego AT-AT review

You know a set is going to be impressive when the Lego Store was recommending that people take it home using wheels rather than carry it. At the time, the UCS Millennium Falcon was the biggest set ever released. While Lego Millennium Falcons have impressed in the past with their detail, seeing this thing next to one of the lower cost models makes it look tiny in comparison. If you’ve got enough room to display this thing, and trust us, you might need to clear the spare room to do so, it’s a must buy.

Few Lego Star Wars sets are as impressive in size and scope as Lego Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina. This gargantuan set really gives you a sense of the scale of the Mos Eisley Cantina, the Tatooine tavern that we were first introduced to in A New Hope. The set opens up to reveal a full interior inside, complete with seating booths, a well-stocked bar, and outside space to dock your landspeeder or Dewback.

While the Imperial Star Destroyer does accurately replicate one of the most imposing and menacing ships in the whole Star Wars franchise, as the spiritual follow-up to the UCS Millennium Falcon, it’s a bit of a disappointment. An incredible feat of engineering, the center mass of the build is a web of beams and bricks that make you feel like you’re actually building something meant to last rather than a weak display model.

Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Child:Was $19.99now $12.97 at Amazon(opens in new tab)Build your own Grogu and Mandalorian in BrickHeadz form in this adorable duo set.

These Lego BrickHeadz versions of the beloved stars of the "Star Wars" series "The Mandalorian" lets you build miniature versions of The Child (who we know is called Grogu, but will forever be Baby Yoda) and the Mandalorian.

Lego Star Wars: AT-AT vs. Tauntaun Microfighters:Was $19.99now $16.00 at Amazon(opens in new tab)Kids ages six and up can recreate part of the Battle of Hoth using this quick-to-build set with an AT-AT Walker and Tauntaun construction models.

Lego Star Wars: Resistance X-Wing:$19.99 at Amazon(opens in new tab)The tiniest of "Star Wars" fans will enjoy this small set depicting the famous X-Wing that Luke Skywalker flew to destroy the Death Star. At just 60 pieces, it"s suitable for kids aged four and older.

Lego Star Wars "The Empire Strikes Back" Action Battle Hoth Generator Attack:$32.99now $29.99 at Amazon(opens in new tab)Recreate one of the most iconic battles of the original series of "Star Wars" with this mini set about the Battle of Hoth. With 235 pieces, this is ideal for kids who are seven years of age and older.

The Battle of Hoth has a perfect rendition here for kids who are just getting to know the original series trilogy of "Star Wars". The set is aimed at children ages seven and older and has only 231 pieces. The flaming Lego pieces is a nice touch, showing how much firepower went into the famous standoff between the Dark Side and the Jedi.

Lego Star Wars: Sith Troopers Battle Pack:$23.95 at Amazon(opens in new tab)Who knew the Dark Side was so colorful? Lego"s 105-piece Sith Trooper Battle Pack includes three brilliant red Sith troopers (two jet troopers and one regular) along with a First Order Officer and speeder.

Lego Star Wars: "The Mandalorian" Trouble on Tatooine:Was $29.99now $23.99 at Amazon(opens in new tab)There"s a battle brewing on the famous Tatooine planet, and kids can figure out what to do next. It"s just 276 pieces and suitable for people aged seven and older.

The Mandalorian and a Tusken Raider from the series "The Mandalorian" can play starring roles in your desert missions in the Trouble on Tatooine set. In 276 pieces, you"ll get The Mandalorian’s speeder bike (including a Lego minifigure seat and saddlebag for the Child), a Tusken hut and missile-shooting ballista for the Tusken Raider.Today"s best Lego Star Wars deals

star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

The original next generation EFIS. Even without a touch screen, SkyView"s intuitive controls and pilot-designed interface are designed to work in your cockpit. SkyView Classic and SkyView HDX displays use the same modules and accessories. SkyView Classic displays can only connect to other SkyView Classic displays in an aircraft.

Experimental and LSA pilots know that they have the most innovative GA aircraft flying. SkyView continues that tradition with the next generation of glass panels, offering redundant networks and systems, incredibly bright screens, design flexibility, and future upgradability unsurpassed by anything else flying.

star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display screen technology hits organic carbon molecules on a glass or plastic base with electricity, causing the panel to light up in different patterns and colors to create the crisp images you see on your TV.

OLED TV panels beat LED and QLED displays in picture quality and viewing angles (so there’s never a bad seat in the house), plus space-saving thin profiles. But quality has a price—OLED TVs are also top-of-the-line in cost. So there’s lots to consider before buying.

Generally, OLED and QLED are just variations of standard LED technology. OLED screens offer the best picture quality and viewing angles. QLED screens have the brightest, best colors, while LED screens have the best prices.

Display typePriceHow it worksProsConsDetailsOLED TV$$$Organic carbon molecules light up when hit with electricity, producing an exceptional image.Best picture quality

OLED TVs usually cost about $1,000–$3,000. OLED display screens are premium technology, so they still have premium costs, though they’ve dropped a lot since they went on the market in 2013.

Since LG Electronics is really the only brand making OLED technology (other companies use LG display tech), there’s not a lot of competition to lower costs, either. But LG TVs have more OLED options at a variety of prices, so be sure to shop around before buying.

OLED display screens can go truly black, whereas LED screens just get close. While almost-black is fine and nice, true black means stronger contrast, which improves your viewing experience.

How does true black work? Well, with LED display screens, the backlight always shines a little bit, even when the screen goes black. But in OLED TVs, each pixel reacts and creates light on an individual level. So when part of an OLED panel goes black, it’s because those pixels are producing no light whatsoever—it’s truly black.

Since OLED screens, unlike LED screens, go truly black, they can have an infinite contrast ratio. In theory, this means that OLED displays have crisper, sharper image quality—but this is really only noticeable in darker rooms.

If the size or weight of a TV is important to the design of your home entertainment center, OLED screens definitely offer more flexibility than LED or QLED TVs—literally, in some cases.

OLED screens are much thinner because they don’t require the extra backlight of LED and QLEDs. They’re also lighter and much more flexible, so you can hang them or sit them anywhere you want—even on a curved wall, creating a really sweet aesthetic.

This is particularly helpful in rooms where your seating options aren’t directly facing the screen—everyone in the room gets to appreciate the color contrast in a Star Wars Jedi battle, no matter where they sit.

Since OLED TV emits less blue light than other display screens and doesn’t use a backlight, it is safer for your eyes. But it’s still smart to listen to Mom and not to sit too close to the screen.

OLED display screens and 4K resolution are two different things, so one can’t be better than the other. OLED is screen technology that allows for better picture quality, and 4K is the highest resolution available for visual media. So both contribute to an OLED TV’s overall superior picture quality.

OLED display screens can take your TV experience to the next level, making them an excellent choice that can offer you a lot more than your typical LED screen—if you’re willing to pay a premium price for it (and we would be).

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

star wars cockpit display screens pricelist

In these lean economic times, operators of all stripes are increasingly looking for ways to boost the capability and service life of their aircraft. Prominent among potential upgrades are new, more capable flight displays.

Often larger than the original equipment, new displays can deliver to pilots of legacy platforms greater situational awareness, more efficient lighting as well as the foundation for the technologies needed for future NextGen operations.

The growth is being reported across market segments. “We see a solid activity level in both commercial and military retrofit markets for cockpit displays and electronic flight bags in particular,” said Jean-Marie Bégis, director of electronic flight bags at Ottawa-based Esterline CMC Electronics.

Although it may be gaining momentum from the economic slump, this is not a new trend, and it is boosting the bottom lines of vendors, including IS&S, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins, Garmin and Universal Avionics, which offer display upgrades separately or as part of their cockpit suites.

“It is good consistent business for us,” said Jim Alpiser, director of aviation aftermarket sales for Garmin. Since introducing its first glass cockpits in 2004, including the “more retrofitable” G500 and 600 and G500H for helicopters, “we have seen a huge influx of demand to … switch over to glass in the cockpit … (and) we are producing hundreds of these retrofits a year if not close to thousands.”

There have been other recent STCs of note, such as that received by IS&S to deploy its Flat Panel Display System (FPDS) on the Classic Boeing 737, including the 300/-400/-500 series aircraft. The FPDS includes a common 10.4-inch LCD display architecture that IS&S has developed, certified and already installed on more than 160 757 and 767 aircraft, according to the company.

Meanwhile, Rockwell Collins is working with Boeing on an upgrade program for cockpits on the aircraft maker’s legacy 757-767s that could involve up to 1,600 of these aircraft that are still in operation. The plan calls for replacing the platforms’ six CRT displays with three 15.1-inch LCDs — each providing two independently controlled display windows. The program includes as an option Rockwell Collins’ HGS-6700 head-up guidance system, which includes synthetic vision system (SVS). The feature will be offered as an option on head-down displays, as well.

“The display units are identical to those utilized on the 787,” and will deliver “tangible weight, maintenance, repair and sparing advantages of the LCD technology vs. the legacy CRT technology,” said Craig Peterson, director of Avionics and Flight Controls Marketing for Rockwell Collins. “From a functional perspective, the LCD (display’s) size, resolution and bandwidth afford the user with the ability to display…applications that will be necessary for operations in next generation airspace,” including automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) traffic applications; high resolution, terrain rich maps; airport surface and taxi maps; approach charts; and uplink graphical weather depictions.

Retrofits do not come without challenges including downtime and certification costs. “You can have the best program in the world, but if it takes a week to do the installation, it is not going to pass (many customers’) financial hurdles,” Glover said. In fact, IS&S said it can remove and replace the old displays on Boeing 737s in “less than 24 hours,” according to company president Shahram Askarpour.

“We can actually get (the technology) into that cockpit in a relatively short term of time,” said Parks. Honeywell offers display upgrades for business jets via its Primus Elite flight deck and Control Display System/Retrofit offerings. The company is now concentrating on delivering functionality in “the least disruptive way … with some combination of hardware and software upgrades,” she said, adding the company was looking at ways to provide the company’s SmartView synthetic vision offerings through a software-only upgrade.

In the retrofit or forward fit markets, synthetic vision is one of the applications most in demand, along with touch-screen capability and larger displays, according to industry officials. With forward fits, “I think that just about on every cockpit of every new aircraft out there is now offering some sort of synthetic vision option, and the retrofit (market) is getting there,” said Robert Clare, director of sales for Tucson, Ariz.-based Universal Avionics. The company introduced the first certified synthetic vision product for the Part 25 aircraft in 2007.

“Rockwell Collins believes that more and more OEMs and operators will and are adopting this technology,” said Peterson. Unlike other vendors, Rockwell boosts its use SVS on the head up display (HUD) stressing, “the situational awareness advantages (it offers) as well as the approach minima and tangible operational advantages SVS can assist in providing when displayed on the HUD.”

Spurred on by the growing popularity of iPads and other tablets, even on the flight deck of commercial aircraft, interest in using touch-screen displays is also on the rise, and many of the vendors are offering or planning to offer the touch controlled products.

“Our products are really built and designed with touch in mind,” from the way “we sculpted the size of the unit, the material we use to grab a hold of the unit and the icons and the touch points that we use to interact with the unit,” Stone said. “The biggest challenge to overcome in the touch environment is (determining) how you can continue to interact with the touch control displays when things get kind of bumpy out there.” The company introduced the technology on its G3000 integrated cockpit system and is using it on GTN 650 and 750 products and its new G5000 system.

“Rockwell Collins has adopted these capabilities into our latest generation product offerings and will continue to explore improvements and broadening of the technical applications,” said Peterson. However, along with turbulence, key concerns include considerations for gloved users and physical reach considerations in larger flight deck. Last year, the company introduced what it called the industry’s first touch-control primary flight display for business jets and turboprop aircraft. The technology, which will be available in the Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics suite, is slated to be certified in 2013 and initially retrofitted into Hawker Beechcraft King Air aircraft.

Another key trend has been a growing demand by OEMs and operators for larger, more capable displays. “Display sizes, resolution and processors are generally increasing to accommodate the graphical and format requirements of NextGen applications … and the wealth of synthetic data and rich graphical user interfaces … emerging in the commercial aerospace marketplace,” said Peterson.

Noting that Universal Avionics is developing a larger display system, Clare said operators considering a larger display should consider “not just the real estate on the front of the instrument panel but also the behind that panel.” There have been cases where operators deploying larger displays “ended up having to put the same size of displays back in because that was the perfect fit for that particular cockpit.”

In the commercial air transport, there is a preference for bigger displays, but there are two important issues to consider beyond size, said Glover: Will the display technology provide everything they want to have and will it enhance the minimum equipment list capability of the airplane? The answers will vary according to customer needs. In some installations, two 10-inch units might be more suitable than two 15-inch displays. Universal Avionics offers a line of flat panel multifunction displays ranging up to 20 inches in size.

In the case of its PilotView EFB displays, CMC is “offering a wide range of high-end display solutions ranging from 8.4 to 12.1 inches,” said Bégis, noting that cockpit constraints limit the size of upgrades. “A 10.4-inch display size for retrofit can be seen as an optimum; we see 12.1-inch and larger sizes normally requiring further integration in the cockpit front and side display configurations with OEMs being involved in the process.”

Another key issue is cost. The larger displays have “been cost prohibitive for some time, but as the technologies mature and manufacturers, like ourselves, look to realize meaningful volume then we are able to lower those costs,” said Alpiser. For example, the company has been able to generate volume for its G1000 which uses large format displays and offer “much more affordable costs,” he said. “We have over 10,000 aircraft flying with that system now including everything from Cessna 172s up to Embraer jet aircraft.”

Universal Avionics opted about two years ago, for example, to use LED instead of fluorescent backlighting in its flat panel displays, said Clare. LED backlighting “lowers the power consumption and increases the MTBF [mean time between failure].” There have been some challenges though: “it is not just plug play had to go in and tweak the colors a bit.”

“There is a progression from what we have seen from cold cathode florescent lights to LEDs to OLEDs,” said Glover. “I would not be surprised to see (OLED) technology emerging very shortly in certain applications” in general aviation and business aircraft, and as more technology matures and becomes more reliable, it will be used in larger and larger displays.

In the current retrofit market, most of the action involves upgrading from CRT to LCD giving operators performance improvements, maintenance cost reductions and access to new functionality, said Parks. With LCD, for instance, “a SVS software upgrade becomes possible.” With one of the largest avionics cockpit display system footprints, Honeywell is “working hard to develop alternatives, so we can replace some of those CRT display systems for people who want to continue to fly those older aircraft.”