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Chapter 12 - Control Stations, Monitoring and Alarms.

1201. Crew Stations and Control Layout.  

At all stations from which the vehicle or it's systems are normally controlled or monitored, appropriate display of information, indicators, and controls shall be provided within ready reach and vision of the crew member when seated at his station.

1202. Controls and switches shall be designed and spaced paying due regard to the requirement for any simultaneous operation, and to the possibility of the crew member wearing thermal protective clothing.

1203. All crew members when at their normal duty station shall be provided with effective means of two-way communication. Additionally, the station from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred shall be provided with control of a public broadcast system transmitting to all passenger accommodation spaces.

1204. At least one crew station shall be provided with means of illuminating warning signs in passenger accommodation spaces.

1205. The station from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred shall be provided with means of two-way communication with any other station in the vehicle from which vehicle manoeuvring may be effected or directed, and with any station from which the vehicle main machinery may be controlled.

1206. Adequate controls and indicators shall be provided to enable crew members at their normal duty stations to monitor and manage:-

1. Fuel transfer and feed systems;
   
   
2. Ballast systems;
   
   
3. Permanently installed bilge pumping systems;
   
   
4. Permanently installed auxiliary power units;
   
   
5. Electrical power generation and distribution under normal and emergency conditions and under conditions of failure of normal electrical power supply.

1207. Provision shall be made in the compartment from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred for the fitment and operation of radio-communication and navigation equipment commensurate with the class of vehicle and the possible service upon which it may be engaged.

1208. At least one compass shall be provided at the crew station from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred, installed in such a fashion to minimise errors due to parallax. If a compass depends for it's operation upon an electrical power supply, a magnetic compass shall also be provided. (See also Chapter 14). All compasses shall be capable of adjustment to minimise installation errors and deviation.

1209. Information Display. 

Any operating parameters of the vehicle, it's machinery or systems, the values of which are required to be maintained within prescribed limits to ensure safe operation of the vehicle, machinery or system, shall be displayed to crew members in the compartment from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred; the safe operating limits of each parameter shall be clearly marked on each instrument or display.

1210. Information shall also be displayed to crew members in the compartment from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred, relating to the contents and disposition of any usable or movable fluid such as fuel or ballast, and to the contents of all tanks containing fluids upon which safe operation of the vehicle, it's machinery or systems may depend.

1211. Information shall also be displayed to crew members in the compartment from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred, relating to bilge contents above a pre-determined level; to functioning of automatically activated bilge pumps; to functioning of permanently installed auxiliary power units, and to generation and distribution of electrical power from all permanently installed sources.

1212. The crew station from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred shall be provided with a continuous display of at least the following information:-

1. R.P.M. of all main engines;
   
   
2. R.P.M. of all propulsion devices or lift fans, if not mechanically connected to the output shaft of a main engine;
   
   
3. Temperatures and pressures of all main engine systems as appropriate to the engine type;
   
   
4. Transmission parameters as appropriate to the transmission;
   
   
5. Pitch or thrust of a controllable-pitch propellors;
   
   
6. Deflection of directional control devices;
   
   
7. Vehicle heading;
   
   
8. Warnings - see Sections 1215 thru' 1219.

All gauges and displays shall have scale capacities of at least 120% of the normal maximum value of the parameter monitored.

1213. Where the display of information which is essential to the safe operation of the vehicle depends upon the supply of electrical power, the display shall be provided with power from two independent sources arranged such that, in the event of failure of the normal source, uninterrupted supply is available from the alternate source.

1214. Controls. 

The loads and ranges of movement of controls provided for manoeuvring the vehicle shall be such as to minimize fatigue of crew members. Control levers, wheels, pedals, etc., shall move readily and smoothly when subjected to loads not exceeding:-

1. Foot operated :- 30 kg.
   
   
2. Stick type :- 25 kg. fore and aft
   
   
3. 15 kg. lateral or vertical
   
   
4.  Wheel type :- 25 kg. fore and aft
   
   
5. 10 kg. tangential at the rim.

Loads to maintain controls in a steady position shall not exceed 50% of the above values.

Emergency and Failure Warnings and Indications.

1215. Indications or warnings of any unsafe condition or event shall be provided at the crew station from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred. Indications shall be visual, and may be supplemented by audio means; they shall automatically reset on resumption of normal conditions, and any audio warning shall be capable of being muted.

1216. Mandatory Warnings. 

Mandatory warnings indicate conditions or events requiring immediate corrective action to recover from an unsafe situation. Such warnings shall be given by red lights placed prominently in full view of the crew member's normal range of vision when seated and operating the vehicle; they shall be provided for at least the following:-

1. Activation of fire detection system - the warning light is to be distinctive from all other warnings, and is to be supplemented by an audible alarm.
   
   
2. Total loss of electrical power supply.
   
   
3. Overspeed of main engines.
   
   
4. Thermal runaway of any permanently installed nickel-cadmium battery.

1217. Discretionary Warnings. 

Discretionary warnings indicate conditions or events requiring action to be taken to prevent degradation to an unsafe condition. Such warnings shall be given by amber lights or other clear visual means, and shall be provided for at least the following:-

1. Exceeding of any limiting value of vehicle, machinery or system parameter, other than engine overspeed;
   
   
2. Failure of normal power supply to powered directional control devices.
   
   
3. Operation of any automatic bilging pump.
   
   
4. Failure of compass system.
   
   
5. Extinction of side, masthead or stern navigation light bulbs.
   
   
6. Low level of contents of each permanently installed fuel tank or group of fuel tanks with common levelling connection
   
   
7. Low level of contents of any fluid reservoir, the contents of which are essential for the normal operation of the vehicle or the system served.
   
   
8. Failure of electrical supply from any power-driven source of electrical power supply permanently installed and normally connected to the electrical power distribution system.
   
   
9. Failure of operation of any ventilation fan installed for ventilating spaces where inflammable gases or vapours may accumulate.

1218. Emergency Controls. 

Controls shall be provided at the crew station from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred to:-

1. Activate fixed fire extinguishing systems.
2. Close ventilation openings and stop ventilation machinery servicing each Designated Fire Zone, if not incorporated in (a).
3. Shut off fuel supplies to all machinery or equipment installed in Designated Fire Zones.
4. Disconnect all electrical power sources from normal electrical power distribution system.
5. Stop any main engine or permanently installed auxiliary power unit.

1219. Emergency controls shall be prominent, distinctive, and guarded against inadvertent operation. They shall be readily accessible to the crew member when seated, and adjacent to their warning light.

1220. Warnings and Emergency Controls - Power Supplies. 

All electrical circuits associated with activating a warning shall be capable of being tested to establish correct functioning of the warning.

Electrical circuits associated with fire detection and fire extinguishing equipment shall be provided with electrical power at all times that a source of electrical power is installed in or connected to the vehicle.

All electrical circuits associated with warnings and emergency controls shall be provided with electrical power from two independent sources, with automatic change-over should the normal supply fail.

1221. Secondary Control Stations. 

Should provision be made for any control function associated with starting, stopping or controlling main engines to be effected at any station other than the crew position from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred, such station(s) shall be provided with effective 2-way communication with the crew compartment containing the normal manoeuvring station.

1222. Except where provided specifically for use under emergency or fault conditions, any permanently installed controls at secondary control stations shall be arranged so that they can only be made effective by a positive and distinctive action at the crew station from which the vehicle is normally manoeuvred, and shall be capable of being over-ridden from that station. When such remote controls are activated, an indication is to be provided at the primary control position, associated with the appropriate control.

1223. Secondary control stations provided for main machinery control shall be provided with all necessary controls to perform operations with the same effectiveness as that resulting from control at the primary control position.

1224. Secondary control stations provided for operating directional control devices shall be provided with means to control vehicle direction with an effectiveness which shall be demonstrated to be acceptable.

1225. Any power supplies upon which controls provided at secondary control stations depend for their effectiveness shall be provided from two or more independent sources.

1226. Position of Controls and Switches. 

Controls and switches shall be positioned relative to their importance and frequency of use; wherever practicable, the use of vertical fore-and-aft panels close to the crew member and above shoulder level when seated should be avoided.

1227. Access to and from crew member's seats shall not be impeded by the positioning of controls.

1228. Warning System Faults and Failures. 

All warning systems provided in compliance with Section 1216 shall incorporate test facilities and also a distinctive indication of fault conditions or failure of the alarm system itself.

Appendix to Chapter 12
Instrument and Control Panel Layout. ^

Each vehicle design will naturally have it's own requirements for instrumentation and controls, but the layout should be logical, functional, and guided by common principles.

Instruments relating to one component or system should be grouped together - e.g., all instruments relating to one engine might be in a single vertical row.

Instrumentation for each component or system should be physically separate from others - e.g., a multi-engined vehicle might have vertical rows of engine instruments in logical sequence, but separated from instruments for hydraulic systems, which again would be separate from fuel system instruments, etc.

Where appropriate, such as in a fuel system with multiple connections and controls, presentation may be best laid out with controls and indicators in a functional diagrammatic form.

Manoeuvring control indicators and operational/navigation instruments should be grouped but separate from each other and from other instrumentation.

Emergency indicators and controls may be either grouped together, or positioned in association with their component or system instruments.

Accessibility and visibility should be strictly related to the frequency of required monitoring, function and contribution to safety.

All switches, controls and movement areas should be so sized and spaced that wearing of protective clothing - gloves, boots, jackets, etc., - will not impede effective operation.

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