Pepe Lapiu
11th Nov 2007, 08:45
Hi all, first time poster here.
I am making an independent documentary and a small part of it concerns aviation and more specifically the Boeing 757 and 767 control systems.
It is my understanding that European aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus use fly-by-wire technology in their airliners. I understand that the flight systems computers set limits on the pilot's input so that if the pilot attempts, by accident or otherwise, to make a dangerous maneuver, the system sets limits on the control inputs. For example I was told that the pilot of an Airbus would not be able to put the airplane in a nose high angle above 30 degrees high.
That's the Europeans - Is this correct?
But the Americans such as Boeing claim that they prefer to leave the full control of the aircraft at the hands of the pilot. The flight computer doesn't set those same limits, rather it just lets the pilot know with an alarm or a warning that the situation is getting potentially dangerous.
That's the Americans - Is this correct?
Furthermore, I am building a small homebuilt Sonex two seater aircraft at home in my garage. My controls are directly connected to the control surfaces, for example my rudder is activated via a cable linked to the center stick. And likewise the flaps and ailerons are connected to the cockpit via push/pull rods directly linked to the flap handle and the center stick. No fly-by-wire here, no electric motors to do the work for me, no hydraulics, no auto-pilots either..... unless you count my knees around the stick as a form of auto-pilot. :)
But what about the Boeing 757s and 767s? Do they use direct mechanical links to the control surface motors/pumps or do they use electric signals to activate the motors/pumps of the control surfaces?
I know that on my car, the cruise button can be somewhat similar to an aircraft auto-pilot in that I set the limit for the speed and let the systems do the rest. But as soon as I touch the brake or gas or shift the gear, the cruise control de-activates itself and surrenders the controls back to me.
Is this the same thing with a 757 or a 767? If you turn on the auto-pilot will it deactivate itself as soon as the pilot touches the controls or will it require that the pilot first deactivates the auto-pilot? And if the pilot attempts to make some control inputs while the auto-pilot is activated, will the airplane react to the pilot or to the auto-pilot?
Thanx all for your help in advance. I hope I am not bothering anyone with my noob questions.
Cheers
I am making an independent documentary and a small part of it concerns aviation and more specifically the Boeing 757 and 767 control systems.
It is my understanding that European aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus use fly-by-wire technology in their airliners. I understand that the flight systems computers set limits on the pilot's input so that if the pilot attempts, by accident or otherwise, to make a dangerous maneuver, the system sets limits on the control inputs. For example I was told that the pilot of an Airbus would not be able to put the airplane in a nose high angle above 30 degrees high.
That's the Europeans - Is this correct?
But the Americans such as Boeing claim that they prefer to leave the full control of the aircraft at the hands of the pilot. The flight computer doesn't set those same limits, rather it just lets the pilot know with an alarm or a warning that the situation is getting potentially dangerous.
That's the Americans - Is this correct?
Furthermore, I am building a small homebuilt Sonex two seater aircraft at home in my garage. My controls are directly connected to the control surfaces, for example my rudder is activated via a cable linked to the center stick. And likewise the flaps and ailerons are connected to the cockpit via push/pull rods directly linked to the flap handle and the center stick. No fly-by-wire here, no electric motors to do the work for me, no hydraulics, no auto-pilots either..... unless you count my knees around the stick as a form of auto-pilot. :)
But what about the Boeing 757s and 767s? Do they use direct mechanical links to the control surface motors/pumps or do they use electric signals to activate the motors/pumps of the control surfaces?
I know that on my car, the cruise button can be somewhat similar to an aircraft auto-pilot in that I set the limit for the speed and let the systems do the rest. But as soon as I touch the brake or gas or shift the gear, the cruise control de-activates itself and surrenders the controls back to me.
Is this the same thing with a 757 or a 767? If you turn on the auto-pilot will it deactivate itself as soon as the pilot touches the controls or will it require that the pilot first deactivates the auto-pilot? And if the pilot attempts to make some control inputs while the auto-pilot is activated, will the airplane react to the pilot or to the auto-pilot?
Thanx all for your help in advance. I hope I am not bothering anyone with my noob questions.
Cheers