Well, the F-15 has mechanical linkages from the stick to the hydraulic control valve plus an electronic (analog) Control Augmentation System (CAS) that adds (or subtracts) from the mechanical input. The F-15 can be flown completely mechanically (no electrons) or completely electronically (mechanical linkages severed) as was accidentally demonstrated on the first flight. Previous aircraft were mostly hydro-mechanical, sometimes with electronic augmentation, such as a yaw damper or auto pilot. Even really high-tech aircraft like the SR71 wee hydro-mechanical with electronic augmentation.
The F-16 pioneered two main flight control areas: relaxed static stability and complete fly by wire (no mechanical linkages at all). The basic F-16 airplane was statically unstable at subsonic speed so these two were complimentary: it would be very difficult to fly the airplane manually without electronic stability enhancement in the pitch axis. The fly by wire was quad redundant (fail op/ fail safe) and the Block 40 and later models transitioned to digital computers for flight control. Scott Ritchey 1982 300SD 230k mi -----Original Message----- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of John Reames Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 06:15 To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: Re: [MBZ] F-16 Dead-Stick Landing....... I thought all of the US military planes prior to the F16 had that setup, and that a good giveaway to not having that arrangement was having the stick located other than front-and-center with respect to the pilot... -- John W Reames jwrea...@comcast.net Home: +14106646986 Mobile: +14437915905 On Jan 31, 2011, at 0:12, E M <pokieba...@gmail.com> wrote: > Wasn't the Concorde set up this way too? > > Ed > 300E > > On 30 January 2011 23:33, Scott Ritchey <ritche...@nc.rr.com> wrote: > >> Well, all supersonic aircraft have hydraulically controlled surfaces and >> most others too these days. But even some large planes (like 707/C135) had >> "reversible" aero-mechanical flight controls that still worked with no >> hydraulics. >> >> Scott Ritchey >> 1982 300SD 230k mi >> -----Original Message----- >> From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] >> On Behalf Of John Reames >> Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 15:53 >> To: Mercedes Discussion List >> Subject: Re: [MBZ] F-16 Dead-Stick Landing....... >> >> Aren't most planes more or less fly by hydraulic; there are cables/wires >> that run from the stick to hydraulic control units at he various control >> surfaces... >> >> With the F16, the stick is mounted on a couple of strain gauges; the >> computers sit between the stick and the actuators at the control >> surfaces... >> Iirc, the response in an F16 is proportional to the force applied to the >> stick, and not to the actual displacement of the stick. (which is like 1/2" >> or so...) >> >> Caveats--my recollection of this is from studying things when I played >> around with falcon years ago... >> >> -- >> John W Reames >> jwrea...@comcast.net >> Home: +14106646986 >> Mobile: +14437915905 _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
