http://www.quora.com/What-do-all-the-controls-in-an-airplanes-cockpit-do/answer/Tim-Morgan-5 (http://www.quora.com/What-do-all-the-controls-in-an-airplanes-cockpit-do/answer/Tim-Morgan-5)
(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--W5JB7Uj1--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/n1jcpboiswyumot0dyqj.jpg)
I once had to deactivate an ELT on a Canadian jet at PHL. After the crew declined to come out (they were drunk and didn't want to drive), they told us to go ahead and shut it off. I got a police officer to come out and supervise, and do a report. When I couldn't find the switch easily, I grabbed the manual, which was in French. It didn't help me very much... :( I'm shouting "so much for English being the international language of aviation" and everyone else is standing in the doorway going "huh?".
I think that was when it began to hit me how very complex all their buttons, switches, and doohickeys are...