Salute MJB !!
On most airliners it is possible to fly "manually" with good training and practice/experience. Landings and takeoffs by the carbon-based life forms are good examples. Even then, many planes have pitch and yaw dampers to keep the planes really stable and predictable when not using the autopilot.
The Airbus that went down years ago over the Atlantic was a very stable and predictable aerodynamic machine. It handled so well that the crew flew it into a stall and did not realize that they had done so. Most pilots could prolly fly that type in the backup control laws with just a bit of practice.
The basic 737 used to be that way, but the basic design was modified time and again until it no longer exhibited the same aerodynamics as the one certified 40 or 50 years ago. Just look at a classic version and then the MAX. Who would think that the two shared the same original designation? Boeing added this and that to avoid an expensive "start over" cetrtification process, plus, the FAA allowed Boeing to "build upon" the existing certification. A new process/designation for the MAX would have not been allowed to add another kludge to preserve longitudibnal stability and handling requirements. The plane would have been required to demonstrate traditional control force and pitch moments at high AoA without the MCAS kludge.
A pure FBW control system has all the "protections" and limits/warnings and such as part of the basic design. But no FBW commercial airliner has failed to meet the basic aerodynamic requirements for stability and control if they all had ropes, levers, pulleys, cables, torque tubes, etc to move the ailerons, rudder and elevator. They are not the military or utility platforms and do not haul 200 folks about to visit aunt Clara.
So Boeing adds another thingie besides the STS speed stability doofer to meet Part 25 requirements and it gets signed off. Most of we pilots would handle the new thingie if and a BIG IF we knew it was added AND we were told what possibel failure indications existed AND we practiced a bit. GASP!! None of that was done.
My experience was in military planes and before each flight we had to sign off every little notice, directive and change and such before flying. On some mods we had to fly with an instructor before being cleared "solo". The MCAS mod required none of those things, and I have problems with not having seen a revolt by a thousand 737 pilots that only discovered MCAS after Lion 610 pranged.
'nuff bitching, and I close for now
Gums
Last edited by gums; 14th Mar 2019 at 02:18.
Reason: typos, mainly