Did you know, that all planes used to have 4-5 crews in the cockpit? They were the Pilot, Co-pilot, Navigator, Telecom, and Technician. Now, planes only have two men, much more simple. How come?

In 1983, Mr. Wiweko Soepono,  at the time Director of Garuda Indonesia, brilliantly came to Airbus bringing an idea of Forward Facing Crew Cockpit. Mr. Wiweko reduced the number of crews in the cockpit of 4-engined Douglas DC-8 from 5 to only 3, as he thought that flight radio operator and navigator were no longer needed. Airbus adopted his idea and released world’s first two-cockpit airplane Airbus A300B4, and Garuda Indonesia was the first to fly this newly released airplane.

Airbus A300B4

Mr. Wiweko was actively involved in designing the Airbus new cockpit arrangement. He, with another aircraft maker Beechcraft designed and prepared Beechcraft Super H-18 for himself to make solo flight crossing Pacific ocean. Mr.Wiweko flied 60 hours, refueling in Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, and Manila.

Beechcraft Super H18

He was the first man in Asia to fly solo crossing the pacific on light aircraft.

(Credit : Wikipedia –> http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiweko_Soepono)

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