Aft Section

The aft section of the right console has navigation equipment and controls for exterior lighting.

Compass Control Panel

Manages essential controls for the proper operation of the AJB-7 azimuth system. Essential for accurate azimuth output to instruments like ADI, HSI, BDHI, but also to the rear seat attitude indicator, autopilot, and bombing computer.

Mode Selector Knob

Switches (2) between different operating modes — Compass, DG (directional gyro), and Slaved. It also has a spring-loaded SYNC position for fast synchronization of the azimuth system based on the compass flux valve signal. The flux valve is an electronic sensor in the aircraft's left wing that detects magnetic fields to provide the primary reference for magnetic heading. However, it is very sensitive to changes in the aircraft's attitude and even minor accelerations.

Hemisphere Switch and Latitude Control Knob

Adjusted to set the aircraft's hemisphere and latitude in the DG Compass System mode, when operating with the STBY reference system. The hemisphere is determined by rotating the screw (6) above the latitude knob. When the PRIM reference system mode is active, setting a latitude other than zero will cause errors by doubling drift compensation due to INS corrections.

Set Heading Control Knob

Push-to-turn knob (1), spring-loaded to return to the center, permits manual adjustment of the azimuth, crucial when operating in the DG mode.

Sync Indicator

Displays (4) the azimuth deviation between the flux valve signal and the internal reference system.

Exterior Lights Control Panel

This panel contains controls connected to most of the exterior lighting:

• 3 position lights (green, red, white)
• 2 wingtip join-up lights (green, red)
• 3 fuselage lights (white)
• anti-collision tail light with 2 lamps (red)

Three switches labelled Fuselage, Tail and Wing control brightness of the lights between BRT (Bright), DIM and OFF.

To ensure lights are available even in case of power failure conditions, the BRT and DIM selections are routed through different buses:

For further information about the lighting see the 3.9 lighting chapter.

Fuselage Switch

The three position switch (1) controls the three white fuselage lights.

Additionally, if set to BRT and the Flasher Switch is set to FLASH, both anti-collision lights illuminate.

Tail Switch

The three position switch (3) controls the position light on the tail.

Wing Switch

The three position switch (4) controls two of the three position and the two join-up lights on the wingtips.

Flasher Switch

A three position switch (2) that can be set to OFF, STEADY or FLASH to additionally control the setting for:

• one of the two anti-collision lamps
• tail position light
• fuselage lights

If set to OFF, the controlled lights are OFF regardless of their respective switches. In the STEADY position, they light up corresponding to the selected brightness. The FLASH position lets the controlled lights phase from the set brightness to a low brightness and back.

Airborne Video Tape Recorder

The AVTR system is installed in the rear section to the right of the seat. It is primarily controlled by the WSO and records the intercom sound, as well as the rear radar screen.

Footage is recorded on a standard u-matic S cassette, which can be removed and replaced using the EJECT Button (1) on the top left of the box. The UNTHREAD button (2) next to it is used to unthread the tape of the cassette back to the start, causing it to overwrite previously recorded footage.

The cassette can record up to 20 minutes, indicated on the small display labelled ELAPSED TIME (3).

See 9.6 DCS Recorders for details on how to access the footage.

💡 Our simulation of the AVTR also doubles as music player, see Tape Player for details.