B737 controlability-questions & surprises.

[gums]

Salute Sidestick !!

Yep, you are making the point. A well-designed system does not require adding one mod after another to get thru certification or just plain be a safe and basic airplane to fly.

I can prolly find some folks that have flown both the 320 and later, and were active Guard or Reserve Viper pilots. I just thot it would be better to get feedback here as most understand the forum protocols and such.

It appeared to me from the "other thread" that the 'bus was an excellent basic aero design without FBW, and that contributed to lack of the realization by the crew that the jet was in a stall. I flew at least two that did not "depart" violently and had very little buffet. But I am now getting worried about the evolution of the 737 from its original form. Flying an "electric jet" like the Viper or A320+ or Space Shuttle is not a big step as far as your stick and rudder "feel" goes. You know going in that you will have no feedback from your ailerons or elevators or rudder and as long as the thing goes where you want then you're happy.

Secondly, Sidestick, I don't think you or I could fly the Viper in the "direct law" like we have in the 'bus without using different stick transducers that have the input/output functions to keep you from ripping the wings off, heh heh.. Maybe the sfwe folks clould have a simple reversion that drastically reduced gains, but there are many other variables that Hal uses, just as in the ;bus. As I may have mentioned, the control forces are an order of magnitude less than what the 737 feel system presents. e.g. 4 pounds for each gee on a linear plot, and 17 pounds for a 300 deg/sec roll rate using another fairly straight plot. The rudder was "direct", but I only used rudder on the runway or to kill a few knots when flying close chase.

So my main point is why has Big B been adding these systems all along? I realize that a completely new wing design and other changes would require lottsa $$$ for certification, so that's where I am putting the excuse for the feel, STS and MCAS.

Gums sends...
P.S. Thanks, Golden. Good poop.