Airbus Side Stick

[PGA]

Hi All,

I came across a sidestick which felt a lot looser when moved laterally towards the left, the movement towards the right hand side was normal. By loose I ment that the resistance the sidestick normally provides when moved was significantly less.

Would anybody be able to tell me what cause the "feel" inside the Airbus sidestick? Is this purely mechanical, via a damping mechanism or a spring or something or are electrics involved to create the resistance pilots feel when moving the sidestick?

Also, are there different standards depending on production date?

Thanks for the info in advance!

[Max Angle]

An engineer at work said the very new aircraft have a different side stick unit, the old ones are damped by hydraulic fluid and the new ones are damped by springs. A much cheaper solution I suspect and feels just that, horrid.

[Interrogator]

The mechanism is mechanical using a combination of springs and dampers. Both the old gen and new gen sticks have dampers in them that are hydraulic. The new gen sticks have a modified damper contained in them that is designed to reduce the 'floppy stick'

[CaptainMongo]

I have used this image to give my trainees a basic visualization of what's "behind" the side stick. Note the solenoid - that is the source of the "clunk" sound when engaging the autopilot.

[whitelabel]

The old system felt much better then the new one. The new system dampens less and somehere half way you feel a little click when doing your lateral flight control checks. Feels more like a cheap microsoft sidewinder! Why do that have to change things that function properly...

[Lantirn]

Never felt this click. All i can feel is less resistance

[Sidestick_n_Rudder]

I have noticed the different feel too and prefer the new one. Each one to his own...

[mono]

There's a fault with the new side stick dampers.

They're all being swapped out as part of an RIL. This may explain the complaints about floppy sticks!

[Microburst2002]

I hate the new sidesticks, I also feel a click when I fully deflect it during the flight controls check.
Also I hate that the hollow for the thumb is now shallower, WTF, why??? anybody ever complaint about it being too deep??

[Uplinker]

I can't believe how complicated the side stick mechanism is (#4).

But interesting to see that roll has more damping torque and springs, whereas pitch has less hydraulic damping torque but the additon of mass damping.