What is “Fly-by-wire” technology in aviation? What benefits does it have and why is it used in modern airplanes today?
In: Engineering
Aircraft used to have the control surfaces directly, physically connected to the control inputs in the cockpit via cables. Any movement the pilot made in the controls was transferred directly to the control surfaces to make the plane move.
Modern aircraft have performance capabilities that far exceed what the human body can tolerate, so computer intervention is required. In fly-by-wire systems, the control inputs are captured by the flight control computer, audited, and altered as needed to maintain stable flight, optimize the movement, and protect the pilot. The the tailored signals are digitally transmitted to the motors that control the aircraft’s moving parts.
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