Complex sentence: Its cockpit was just ahead of the wing leading edge, placing the pilot's head against the front of the central pedestal; the glider could be flown with an open cockpit or alternatively from under a perspex canopy.
Split into simpler sentences: Its cockpit was just ahead of the wing leading edge, placing the pilot's head against the front of the central pedestal. The glider could be flown with an open cockpit or alternatively from under a perspex canopy.