Business Jet Innovation: What Was The First Business Jet With Fly-By-Wire Controls?

Fly-by-wire is a system that replaces the traditional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted into electronic signals which are interpreted by the aircraft Flight Control Computers (FCC) to adjust actuators that move flight control surfaces. The computers monitor sensors throughout the aircraft to automatically make adjustments that enhance the flight.

Where there are active control sticks, the FCC uses data from the sensors to create 'tactile cues' that provide sensory feedback to the pilot and gives a feel for the aircraft's motions and aerodynamics. It was first developed in military aircraft and on Concorde and fly-by-wire has been used by Airbus on its aircraft since 1988. The first business jet with fly-by-wire technology was the Dassault Falcon 7X which entered service in 2007.

The disadvantages of the traditional flight deck Conventional mechanical flight control systems use a series of cables, levers, pulleys and rods which pilots move to adjust control surfaces to meet the aerodynamic conditions. This 'hands on' design gives the pilot a direct feel of how the aircraft is flying. However, mechanical systems are heavy, need more maintenance and need constant monitoring.

The case for the digital Being electronic, the controls are less bulky and lightweight, allowing for more fuel efficiency. In order to prevent flight critical failure, most fly-by-wire systems have triple or quadruple redundancy.