C Series handling quality assessment by Flight International

[twochai]

In the Flight International magazine just released today, is a superb report by Mike Gerzanics of his assessment of the Bombardier C Series handling qualities.

I commend it to anyone interested in a readable comparison of the fly-by-wire systems offered by the various manufacturers. Very interesting, very readable and instructive.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/flight-test-we-put-bombardiers-cseries-through-its-431271/

[stilton]

Seems like a fine aircraft.


Surprised, however they didn't go with 'active sidesticks' as Gulfstream did on their new
500 / 600 models.



The benefits in overall Pilot awareness with both sticks moving in unison, trim inputs required and built in stick shaker are significant.

[twochai]

I agree. However, this seems the best of the lot without active feedback.

[ICT_SLB]

Around the time of the BRJ-X (the CSeries' predecessor) BA carried out a series of tests using both a NASA active stick and one by Sterling IIRC. The cross-cockpit feedback was improved but not sufficiently to warrant the additional complexity and loss of reliability in airline service.

[stilton]

I can understand that, but the state of the art in active sidesticks has advanced significantly since then with the BAE product on the Gulfstream.


Too late, perhaps for the C Series, it was in development for a long time.


Shame because Gulfstream have come up with a superb solution to the problem of
lack of awareness regarding the other Pilots inputs and gives the Pilots valuable
feedback into the aircraft's state simultaneously.