Regarding use of "by-wire" technology in aircraft: weight is a bigger
issue than reliability, in some instances, especially military
aircraft. They can only PREDICT reliability of the plane before there
are a few dozen flying regularly; they do have history of existing
systems, but every one is different. Cables to carry power weigh less
than fluid-filled hoses & tubes; alternators already need to be there,
so enlarging them can save weight compared to adding pumps. Electric
cylinders vs. hydraulic are more or less a wash, ditto batteries vs.
reservoirs. So, if the predictions show a reasonable match in
reliability, it's well worth trying. Weight means EVERYTHING to
aircraft performance! That's why it is worth paying the price of exotic
composites, titanium forgings, etc., when building them. (I'm a
mechanical engineer, student pilot, member of Experimental Aircraft
Assoc., Sport Aviation Assoc., and Aircraft Owners & Pilots Assoc., and
an airplane nut my whole life, by way of background for these comments).
Ron
DocWyte wrote:
As someone who's had a drive by wire car (and still
have one, the wive's) I can tell you that I
absolutely HATE IT!
It feels like absolute crap. The throttle response
sucks donkey balls.
In my '99.5 Mk4 VR6 GTI, I was breaking motor mounts
every 3 weeks. Don't ask, I don't know why, I was
driving the car normally. However, since the car was
drive by wire, everytime I broke a motor mount, the
car would run like complete ass.
Why? Because the motor would move enough on it's
mounts to throw the drive by wire settings completely
out the door. If the car had a throttle cable, it
would've still driven properly.
Total waste of time, like BMW's I-Drive, a solution to
a problem that was never there.
-josh
--- Steven Hauptmann <[email protected]> wrote:
Okay, I'll play devils advocate here and offer up a
different view.
Sometimes what may seem more complicated can
actually simplify diagnosis and
increase component reaction time.... which leads to
better drivability, and
can actually last longer than their mechanical
counterparts. As that article
that Chad sent us the link to mentions/eludes to, by
the time most of these
"by wire" systems hit cars, reliability has been
proven in other disciplines
(aircraft etc). I'm sure nobody thinks that aircraft
mfgs would be
installing LESS reliable systems in airplanes.
=====
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