Tis a Pity
The Fly-by-light system is an excellent research tool, somewhat transparent from the Fly-by-wire aircraft that have been around, at least as far as the pilot is concerned. The light transmission system (fibre optic) has the advantage of weight and HIRF protection (High Intensity Radiation Fields, like a close by radar) ease. It has disadvantages, mostly in the need for optical transducers for the stick motion detectors which are somewhat risky from a production standpoint (but surely a technology waiting for the chance to prove itself). The first Fly-by-light flights in helicopters took place about 20 years ago, in the ADDOCS H-60 that Boeing Flew as a research aircraft to prove out LHX (now Comanche) control schemes.
The older BO-105 they used was a very capable aircraft, and this EC135 should serve very well.
As far as Lu's pronouncements, the score is about 1,257 : 1 against Lu, since the Boeing 777 and Airbus systems were certified by very stringent governments as meeting the one in a billion chance of catastrophic failure. It is not worth debating Lu, I will not bother, but I'll wage the certificate of Airworthiness for the Boeing 777 can probably trump any post Lu types out.
Now I will lay back and just wait for Lu's response. Let's take a bet how many lines of text he uses to "prove" his point. Any takers? I say more than 23 lines. Do I hear 30?
Nick