An annunciator panel in aircraft is a group of warning or notice indicators that alert pilots to important issues regarding aircraft systems or flight progress. They are color-coded and grouped into warning, caution, and advisory categories, with accompanying audible tones. Traditional incandescent lamp annunciator panels are being replaced by digital gauges on newer aircraft.
The term annunciator panel most commonly refers to a group or assembly of warning or notice indicators in the cockpit of an aircraft. These indicators “announce” to pilots any of a number of important issues regarding aircraft systems or flight progress. Most annunciator panel designs group warning indicators according to the systems they serve or, in the case of newer aircraft, in color-coded urgency ranges. Some annunciator flags require a reset when activated; others simply illuminate for a brief period, and some require a specific action to be taken before automatically restarting. Traditional incandescent lamp annunciator panels are being replaced by digital gauges on dash displays on newer glass-cockpit-equipped aircraft.
The annunciator panel is also often unflatteringly known as an idiot light panel and serves to signal a variety of aircraft and flight system problems to the pilot. These issues will generally be grouped into Warning, Caution, and Cautionary categories, each with its own required course of action. Many types of aircraft have annunciator panels with most of these gauges grouped together, although others may have several groups arranged around the instrument panel. Generally, however, the annunciator panel is centrally located in the cab and often features audible warnings to accompany the visual indicators.
Typical annunciator panel annunciations include system status indicators such as anti-icing, auxiliary power unit (APU) status, pitot, and fuel warming systems. These indicator lights simply give an instant visual indication of whether or not the relevant systems are active and typically do not require any specific action to be taken. Caution annunciator indications typically include fuel, cabin pressurization, target altitude, engine, electrical and hydraulic system alerts that give pilots early warning of potentially dangerous system developments that require intervention on their part. Annunciator panel warnings are the most serious of all indicators and include fire and system fault warnings that require immediate action.
These groups of annunciator panel lights will generally be color-coded according to their advisory, caution, and warning status. Warnings are white, blue, or green, Warnings are yellow or amber, and Warnings are red. Most warnings and all warnings will also be accompanied by an audible tone. These groupings and their associated color codings have been retained on most modern aircraft equipped with an Engine Indication and Crew Alert System (EICAS). In new systems, many of the traditional annunciator panel lights are being replaced by digital readouts on one or more multifunction display units (DUs).
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