This glossary is written for virtual airline and flight simulation use within Virtual Air Canada Airline. It is not intended as a real-world aviation reference.
HUD
Head-Up Display
A Head-Up Display is a transparent combiner glass or visor mounted in the pilot’s forward field of view through which flight-critical information is projected. The pilot can see both the outside world and the overlaid flight data simultaneously without needing to look down at the instrument panel. HUD symbology typically includes airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, pitch and bank attitude, flight path vector, heading, and approach guidance. Because the eyes do not need to refocus between near and far distances, the HUD reduces the cognitive workload of transitioning between instrument and visual flight.
In commercial aviation, HUDs are often certified to support low-visibility operations. Aircraft equipped with an approved HUD and appropriate crew training can be authorized for lower decision heights and runway visual range minima than would otherwise be permitted - this is particularly significant for Category II and Category III ILS approaches. Boeing offers the HUD as an option on its narrowbody and widebody aircraft, and it is standard equipment on some variants. Airbus has also offered HUD systems, though it has been less common on Airbus fleets historically. HUDs are also widely used in military aviation for targeting and maneuvering tasks.