The in-house flight simulator is fully representative of the aircraft flight controls and used for handling quality evaluations and pilot training. Ergonomics testing in the cockpit ensures the stick and throttle are in the ideal position for pilot use and verifies that the necessary equipment is always within easy reach. XB-1's cockpit is built around the “design eye point”—the location of the pilot's eyes and line of vision—to ensure good visibility for landing and for the instrument layout. A forward vision system allows the pilot to land the aircraft without visibility of the runway. A center screen on the instrument panel displays real-time footage from cameras attached to the nose and landing gear. XB-1 employs a number of different materials, including carbon composites, titanium, and aluminum. Each component is individually designed to balance strength, weight, and stability. A streamlined design and high fineness ratio (the ratio between the aircraft’s length and width) reduces drag and optimizes in-flight efficiency. Metrology through laser tracking enables precision tooling within four thousandths of an inch, or the width of a human hair. Alternative fuel testing through maximum afterburning confirmed XB-1 can operate at full performance when powered by environmentally-friendly fuel. A series of incremental drop tests simulated the most extreme landing conditions and validated the safety and performance of these components.