(DIGITIAL) FLYSYSTEMS

FLY BY WIRE BY WIRE

(A 15(CONTROL)
min presentation for UPES Avionics Students)
SYSTEMS

By
Dr. Mahadeeswara, Ph.D.,
Insect flight guidance and
aerial roboticist
 Syllabus for FLY BY WIRE (FBW) SYSTEM
• Unit 4 - INTRODUCTION TO FLY-BY-WIRE CONTROL (9 Hours)
Need for FBW systems – Conventional Flight control system, Fly-By-Wire (FBW),
Fly-By-Light (FBL) Flight control System, Basic components about Autopilot
System, Mathematical modeling in Mechanical system – mass, spring and
damper system, Case study of a Fly-By-Wire implemented on A320.

Need for FBW systems – Conventional Flight control system, Fly-By-Wire (FBW),

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 Agenda for this classes

• Introduction and Need for FBW systems

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 Introduction
Fighter aircraft tocontrol
roll and pitch FBWsystem

1. The concern is 114 bearing points!

2. Each bearing point is a failure point.
3. Complexity increases for a Helis.
4. Redundant & chunky parts.

Push cable control system 4

APOLLO -11 SPACE MISSION – A TRIGGER POINT ?

• Most of the astronauts were pilot of aircrafts who have zero experience of flying a spacecraft.
• Even, a small error from the pilot would result in a catastrophic failure.
• NASA chose MIT instrumentation Lab for designing, guiding and controlling a spacecraft with
minimal inputs from Astronauts. (Neil’s Idea)
• NASA & MIT designed a system with a computer controlling the spacecraft for its mission
Apollo-8, which was the first manned space mission to orbit the moon and it was successful.
Yes, the mission in which ‘Neil Armstrong’ became a history also used the same control
system!
• The same guidance and control system which was used in Apollo -8 was used to overcome the
drawbacks of mechanical flight system discussed in the previous slide.
• If I say the same control system is still being used in the aircrafts in which we fly even today –
Almost all Boeing(B-777, B787, B747) and Airbus aircrafts(A320, A340, A380..the list goes
on..)
• Thank you, Neil Armstrong! 5
 What is that architecture ?

SAS – Stability augmentation control

Welcome to Fly –By- Wire Technology
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 Scenario of executing a coordinated turn in A320 aircraft with / without FBW
Consider another example of performing a turning flight in Cessna under manual mode.

If you just deflect the ailerons alone, what happens : altitude drops, ball on the slip indicator is not centered. Eventually, the
aircraft will undergo sideslips or adverse yaw conditions. Ideally, elevator and rudder motion also needs to be provided to
execute a coordinated turn.

Imagine, a pilot is doing all these steps manually, it must be quite exhausting for the pilot. Instead, think of a computer sharing
the load of a pilot by providing the necessary control commands to the control surfaces to execute a coordinated turn.

Assume a pilot executes a turn by banking the aircraft to 30 deg, the mechanical input from the side stick is converted to a
digital signal which is then passed to a flight control computer which then sends an electrical signals to corresponding
actuators attached to control surface (aileron, rudder, elevator, thrust also is increased) to execute a coordinated turn.

Elevator
and
Aileron
Computer PITCH CONTROL IN A320

This should not be confused with an autopilot system which also uses Fly-By-Wire Technology. The autopilots would be different
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systems!
9 Flight control computers in A320

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 Advantages of FBW
• Design and installation savings
• Weight savings
• Volume savings, so more room for passenger and goods?
• Increased in Flight control system reliability
• Reduction in maintenance manhours
• Improved aircraft handling qualities!
• Mission success rate eventually increases! A manned mission to moon was not Joke!
• Immunity to aircraft structural changes due to Flexing, Bending, thermal expansion - As the aircraft computer will
pitch in take control to operate within the allowed limits
• Flexibility of Cockpit Layout
• No single point failures! Increased Safety
• First implemented in Concorde
• Then in A320 commercial aircraft – First fully digital FBW implemented aircraft (1987)
• Arvo Arrow Interceptor is the first FBW military aircraft.
• In 1930, ANT 20 Aircraft is the first aircraft in which FBW was partially implemented!
• We will add some more to the list as we navigate through the course
• We shall also talk about the disadvantages of FBW later in this course( Chapter 5)
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 Aircraft Stability and Control Augmentation Concepts
• The primary function of a Stability Augmentation System (SAS) is to enhance the
stability characteristics of an aircraft. It focuses on maintaining or improving the
inherent stability of the aircraft by providing corrective inputs to dampen
unwanted oscillations or instabilities.
• A Control Augmentation System, on the other hand, is designed to enhance the
control authority and handling qualities of the aircraft. It focuses on improving
the aircraft's responsiveness and maneuverability, providing the pilot with
enhanced control inputs and control feel.
• SAS focuses on stability enhancement, reducing unwanted oscillations or
instabilities, while CAS aims to improve control authority and handling qualities,
enhancing the aircraft's maneuverability and responsiveness.
• OK! Let’s see some basics of how these augmentation systems are implemented!

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 Stability augmentation system using pitch rate feedback
• Basic control diagram

Aircraft

CAS is the outer

loop

Gyroscope,
Accelerometer,
Altimeter

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 Thank you for listening!

Questions
and
Comments/Feedback/Constructive Criticisms.

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