Airbus Side Stick
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 253
Likes: 1
From: Europe
Airbus Side Stick
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!
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!
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 34
From: London,England
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.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: London
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'
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Uk
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...
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,338
Likes: 1
From: Uh... Where was I?
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??
Also I hate that the hollow for the thumb is now shallower, WTF, why??? anybody ever complaint about it being too deep??
Joined: Nov 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,150
Likes: 744
From: UK
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.
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.
