Originally Posted by
flash8
Very interesting, so I assume the cables were not employed if the A/P was engaged?
Not true. The cables back drive the columns and yokes when AP is engaged. I don't recall that the design considered what would happen if the mechanical control cables failed with AP engaged. Closed loop AP control used LVDT feedback of each ram position and I don't think it would care if the mechanical cables were broken.
I have no knowledge of where the AP electrical control signals were physically routed. I am sure that there would have been separation of the 4 channels for damage tolerance but I don't know where each of the cable runs was located.
If researching DC-10 flght controls the MD-10 may be a better basis for comparison than MD-11.