Originally Posted by
Less Hair
How does the 787 tail strike protection feature work then? It must use attitude from internal systems data not from sensors?
While that is off topic, AoA is not the same as attitude; attitude is the governing concern for tail strike. I presume whatever sensor they use to manage the artificial horizon could also be used to indicate aircraft attitude for tail strike protection.
Per
https://www.boeing.com/commercial/ae...icle_02_5.html, for the 777:
Tailskid height and rate are computed from radio altimeter signals, pitch attitude, pitch rate, vertical speed, and the length between the radio altimeter location and the tailskid location. A complementary filter is used to provide acceptably smooth rate and height signals. Provisions are included to account for the bending of the forward fuselage when the nose wheel gear lifts off the ground.