Rare Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Cockpit Mockup CPCS Lighting Evaluation Panel

Manufactured by AMETEK as a "Lighting Evaluation Article" for Boeing P/N 17B1N7001-503. This panel is an accurate representation of the Cabin Pressure Control System (CPCS) indicator panel used in the C-17 Globemaster III flight deck. It displays the three parameters monitored and controlled by the system:

This article was produced for cockpit mockup development and Human Factors evaluation during the C-17 program. Long before production aircraft entered service, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas constructed full-scale flight deck mockups that allowed engineers, pilots, military customers, and Human Factors specialists to evaluate the cockpit as a complete integrated system.

As a Lighting Evaluation Article, this panel allowed the design team to study how the proposed Cabin Pressure Control System (CPCS) display would appear under a wide range of operating conditions in the context of the surrounding panels and controls before committing the design to production hardware. Evaluations would typically include visibility in full sunlight (often 10,000 foot-lamberts), readability during low-light operations, glare and reflection control, color and contrast selection, pointer and scale legibility, compatibility with adjacent instruments, and compliance with Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) requirements.

The panel would have been installed in a full-size cockpit mockup alongside similar representative panels, controls, displays, and crew-station hardware throughout the flight deck. Using these mockups, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas could evaluate Crew Vehicle Interface (CVI) requirements, verify overall cockpit layout, and ensure that all displays presented information with a consistent appearance and level of readability. This process helped identify and correct design issues before the first production instruments and cockpit hardware were manufactured.

Unlike modern LED displays, aircraft instrument panels of this era commonly employed incandescent illumination, edge-lighted panels, and fluorescent or phosphor-based legend materials. Large aircraft lighting systems often operated from 5 VAC, 400 Hz supplies, with brightness controlled by varying the applied voltage. The distinctive green illumination visible in this article reflects the lighting technologies and design considerations of the period and was a key element of the evaluation process.

The key to positive identification was Boeing part number shown on the article label:

Boeing P/N 17B1N7001-503

Searching this Boeing part number leads directly to NSN 6685-01-471-6378, identified as:

"Indicator, Altimeter, Cabin Pressure, Vertical Velocity" with the end application listed as: "C-17 aircraft"

The NSN description further specifies cabin pressure from 0-10 PSI, cabin altitude from -1,000 to 40,000 feet, and cabin vertical velocity to 6,000 ft/min, exactly matching the scales shown on this panel. The specification also references anti-reflective coating and NVIS-compliant Green A lighting. 

The last two photos in this listing show that exact chain of research, the Boeing to NSN part number association, and then the NSN details that tell us exactly what platform this was for.

A unique piece of Boeing Long Beach / McDonnell Douglas C-17 development history and an excellent addition to an aviation collection, museum display, simulator project, aerospace library, or aviation memorabilia collection.