"Charles Talleyrand" wrote in message
oups.com...
Suppose a smaller airplane with it's fly-by-wire controls goes runs out
of fuel. All the engines quit. On a larger jet a ram air turbine
would drop into the airstream and power the controls. How does it work
on smaller planes like the Dassault Falcon or the F-16?

Alternatively, I've always wondered if one could not keep a special
reserve tank for the APU. When the engines quit, the APU
automatically starts to power the controls. Would such a system be
safe and would it be certifiable? Would it weigh less than the
existing system?

-Charles Talleyrand


On the A-6E and EA-6B aircraft, the Emergency Ram Air Turbine (RAT) only
powers the Emergency DC Bus which in turn provides power to a small set of
essential instruments. It does not provide any hydraulic power for the
flight controls.