Fly-By-Wire Flight Controls

On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 19:59:21 +0100, Benjamin Gawert
wrote:

Eunometic schrieb:

"Mechanical linkage" does not mean that the stick is connected to
pushrods and levers that move the control surfaces (which would be silly
on a fighter/bomber aircraft with up to ~55000 pounds weight).


Which means that PA200 Tornado when using 'mechanical' backup is
actually fully power opperated as opposed to power assisted (power
assisted can be designed to connect into a fully manual system with
limited movement).

correct.

Given the need for power it doesn't seem to make
much sense to bother to use a mechanical system at all.

The mechanical linkage backup is there if the 2x redundant fly-by-wire
system fails or gets damaged. When in "mech mode" (FBW dead but engines
are running) the aircraft is fully controllable (but of course reacts
more sensible due to the lack of CSAS and also lacks things like spin
prevention and AOA limiter etc). Loosing the FBW does not mean the
aircraft can't return safely...


Hmm sounds sensible in a Cold War environment with buckets of canned
sunshine being thrown around.

But now a question to pilots or folks in the know:
Do they train flying "mech mode" and if so how?
Just in the sims or sometimes for real as in.
"IP to student: I flipped the switch to mech mode. Show me how you
smooth you can land this baby"?

And if a pilot can apparently fly safe in "mech mode" does that mean
that the Tornado is not inherent unstable like the F16? Or at least
not very inherent unstable?

Because flying a F16 in "mech mode" (if that beast would exist) THAT
would be a real challange.

Greetz Mu




Greetz Mu