Rubbish is rubbish
Yeah, Doze, et al, whoever wrote the article doesn't seem to understand aero, flight control systems, autopilot implementation, and the beat goes on.
Sheesh. After so many years, one would have a better idea of how the plane worked and basic aero, ya think?
- All of us here have a decent understanding of the basic and reversion control laws for the jet. However, I can't find details on the AP implementation.
I raise this issue due to my Viper experience( early years) when we lost a troop who was on AP and slowly descended into the Salt Lake. Unknown to us at the time, the AP had an AOA limit that was basically half the "normal" limit - think 13 degrees versus 27 degrees. So with a mission abort at heavy weight, the troop turned back and was BZ changing channels, IFF and such while slowly descending in a gray sky with low ceiling and over a lake that was smooth as glass that day. We single seat folks used everything we could, contrary to popular depictions of us.
- With an AP disconnect and a reversion to the next lower law, the "startle factor" is in play, as some here have opined. And then maybe not realizing the system was in a reversion law with less "protection", hence the "pull back" syndrome. After all, "you can't stall this jet, huh?"
- Maybe the AP control laws depended more upon airspeed than AoA? But my understanding is Otto disconnected immediately.
Good grief, this accident will be the poster child of system design, human factors and sensor faults.