What does a flight control computer do?
The flight control computer is at the core of any modern aircraft, both manned and unmanned. In both cases, the flight control computer actuates the primary flight control surfaces to drive the flight path of the aircraft, while also providing finer control for stability.
What is the purpose of installing control surface locks on an aircraft control surface?
A Flight Control Lock (sometimes referred to as a Gust Lock) is a means by which control surfaces on an aircraft not in flight can be prevented from random movement caused by wind, jet blast or propeller wash and thus possible damage to the surface, attachment points or control system.
How is a flight control computer used in an airplane?
The flight control computer is at the core of any modern aircraft, both manned and unmanned. In both cases, the flight control computer actuates the primary flight control surfaces to drive the flight path of the aircraft, while also providing finer control for stability.
How are flight control surfaces lose their authority?
ALL flight control surfaces lose authority at lower speeds and/or in less dense air (heat/altitude). In most cases, this can be compensated somewhat by increasing the deflection until the max is reached. Some aircraft with fly-by-wire can compensate for the ‘sloppy’ controls somewhat by doing the increase in deflection automatically.
What are the different types of flight control surfaces?
The requirements for flight control surfaces vary greatly between one aircraft and another, depending upon the role, range and agility needs of the vehicle. These varying requirements may best be summarised by giving examples of two differing types of aircraft: an agile fighter aircraft and a typical modern airliner.
How are flight controls converted to electronic signals?
The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires (hence the term fly-by-wire ), and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control surface to provide the expected response.