Publlishing an existing hazard first exposed by others in 2012 and defining it using appropriate safety terminology Tag: Reverted |
further clarifying the hazard Tag: Reverted |
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===The hazard of "Passive" side-sticks in Multi-crew cockpits=== |
===The hazard of "Passive" side-sticks in Multi-crew cockpits=== |
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In typical Airbus side-stick implementations, the sticks are independent, the so-called ‘passive’ side-stick, a [[fly-by-wire]] component which is 1980's vintage and designed when the most powerful computer was the “186,” [[Intel 80186]] and “286” [[Intel_80286]] which the first [[Airbus A320 family#Fly-by-wire|Airbus A320]] used. The plane's computer either aggregates multiple inputs or a pilot can press a "priority button" to lock out inputs from the other side-stick.<ref name=getline>{{Citation |
In typical Airbus side-stick implementations, the sticks are independent, the so-called ‘passive’ side-stick, a [[fly-by-wire]] component which is 1980's vintage and designed when the most powerful computer was the “186,” [[Intel 80186]] and “286” [[Intel_80286]] which the first [[Airbus A320 family#Fly-by-wire|Airbus A320]] used. Their location at the cockpit sides effectively hides them from view when being used and they only require small inputs. If one pilot makes an input it can’t be seen by other pilots in the cockpit and both pilots can simultaneously and inadvertantly give different inputs. The plane's computer either aggregates multiple inputs or a pilot can press a "priority button" to lock out inputs from the other side-stick.<ref name=getline>{{Citation |
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=== Accidental “Dual Input” - A harmless Primary hazard – A deadly Secondary hazard === |
=== Accidental “Dual Input” - A harmless Primary hazard – A deadly Secondary hazard === |
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'''Accidental Dual Input''' of the Airbus side-stick can be harmless as a '''primary hazard''' i.e. occuring just by itself in a normal cockpit environment and being normally safeguarded by those visual warning lights, aural warning alarms and pilot procedures. |
'''Accidental "Dual Input"''' of the Airbus side-stick can be harmless as a '''primary hazard''' i.e. occuring just by itself in a normal cockpit environment and being normally safeguarded by those visual warning lights, aural warning alarms and pilot procedures. |
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'''Accidental Dual Input''' can be deadly as a '''secondary hazard''' of a cockpit emergency that fully occupies all crew members, even with extra crew present. When other alarms are triggered then its normal safeguards |
'''Accidental "Dual Input"''' can be deadly as a '''secondary hazard''' of a cockpit emergency that fully occupies all crew members, even with extra crew present. When other alarms are triggered then its normal safeguards lose effectiveness being lost amongst those other alarms and even themselves can be a further hazard in adding to a cacophony of alarms and crew confusion. The result has twice proven deadly with all-fatal results. |
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Examples of "Accidental Dual Input" being deadly as a '''secondary hazard''' are the 2009 crash of [[Air France Flight 447]] (an [[Airbus A330]] flying from [[Rio de Janeiro]] to [[Paris]]), and the 2014 crash of [[Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501]] (an [[Airbus A320]] flying from [[Surabaya]] to [[Singapore]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/06/12/is-flight-447-fly-by-wire-aircraft-technology-safe/|title=Is Flight 447's 'Fly-by-Wire' Aircraft Technology Safe?|date=2009-06-12|publisher=Fox News|accessdate=2013-05-29}}</ref><ref name="Ross">{{Citation|last=Ross|first=Nick|title=Air France Flight 447: 'Damn it, we're going to crash'|date=2012-04-28|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/9231855/Air-France-Flight-447-Damn-it-were-going-to-crash.html|quote=It seems surprising that Airbus has conceived a system preventing one pilot from easily assessing the actions of the colleague beside him. And yet that is how their latest generations of aircraft are designed. The reason is that, for the vast majority of the time, side-sticks are superb.|type=article|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> |
Examples of "Accidental Dual Input" being deadly as a '''secondary hazard''' are the 2009 crash of [[Air France Flight 447]] (an [[Airbus A330]] flying from [[Rio de Janeiro]] to [[Paris]]), and the 2014 crash of [[Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501]] (an [[Airbus A320]] flying from [[Surabaya]] to [[Singapore]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2009/06/12/is-flight-447-fly-by-wire-aircraft-technology-safe/|title=Is Flight 447's 'Fly-by-Wire' Aircraft Technology Safe?|date=2009-06-12|publisher=Fox News|accessdate=2013-05-29}}</ref><ref name="Ross">{{Citation|last=Ross|first=Nick|title=Air France Flight 447: 'Damn it, we're going to crash'|date=2012-04-28|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/9231855/Air-France-Flight-447-Damn-it-were-going-to-crash.html|quote=It seems surprising that Airbus has conceived a system preventing one pilot from easily assessing the actions of the colleague beside him. And yet that is how their latest generations of aircraft are designed. The reason is that, for the vast majority of the time, side-sticks are superb.|type=article|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> |
Revision as of 09:44, 5 October 2020
A side-stick or sidestick controller is an aircraft control column (or joystick) that is located on the side console of the pilot, usually on the righthand side, or outboard on a two-seat flightdeck. Typically this is found in aircraft that are equipped with fly-by-wire control systems.[1]
The throttle controls are typically located to the left of a single pilot or centrally on a two-seat flightdeck. Only one hand is required to operate it; two hand operation is neither possible nor necessary.
The side-stick is used in many modern military fighter aircraft, such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, Mitsubishi F-2, Dassault Rafale, and F-22 Raptor, and also on civil aircraft, such as the Sukhoi Superjet 100, Airbus A320 and all subsequent Airbus aircraft,[2] including the largest passenger jet in service, the Airbus A380.
It is also used in very new helicopter models like the 525 by Bell.
This arrangement contrasts with the more conventional design where the stick is located in the centre of the cockpit between the pilot's legs, called a "centre stick".
In the centre stick design, like traditional airplane yokes, both the pilot's and co-pilot's controls are mechanically connected together so each pilot has a sense of the control inputs of the other.
The hazard of "Passive" side-sticks in Multi-crew cockpits
In typical Airbus side-stick implementations, the sticks are independent, the so-called ‘passive’ side-stick, a fly-by-wire component which is 1980's vintage and designed when the most powerful computer was the “186,” Intel 80186 and “286” Intel_80286 which the first Airbus A320 used. Their location at the cockpit sides effectively hides them from view when being used and they only require small inputs. If one pilot makes an input it can’t be seen by other pilots in the cockpit and both pilots can simultaneously and inadvertantly give different inputs. The plane's computer either aggregates multiple inputs or a pilot can press a "priority button" to lock out inputs from the other side-stick.[3] However, if both side-sticks are moved in different directions (regardless of which pilot has priority), then both inputs are cancelled out and an aural "dual input" warning sounds.
Accidental “Dual Input” - A harmless Primary hazard – A deadly Secondary hazard
Accidental "Dual Input" of the Airbus side-stick can be harmless as a primary hazard i.e. occuring just by itself in a normal cockpit environment and being normally safeguarded by those visual warning lights, aural warning alarms and pilot procedures.
Accidental "Dual Input" can be deadly as a secondary hazard of a cockpit emergency that fully occupies all crew members, even with extra crew present. When other alarms are triggered then its normal safeguards lose effectiveness being lost amongst those other alarms and even themselves can be a further hazard in adding to a cacophony of alarms and crew confusion. The result has twice proven deadly with all-fatal results.
Examples of "Accidental Dual Input" being deadly as a secondary hazard are the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447 (an Airbus A330 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris), and the 2014 crash of Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 (an Airbus A320 flying from Surabaya to Singapore).[4][5]
On 9 July 2012 just 4 days after the Air France flight 447 final crash report was released, American CBS TV and its Safety Consultant Sully Sullenberger published a documentary titled “Lessons from Air France 447” where they filmed inside an Airbus Simulator to clearly demonstrate how the Airbus Side-stick hazard can be deadly and then filmed inside a Boeing 747 simulator to demonstrate that the hazard did not exist in Boeing airliners.
"Active" Side-sticks - Just one remedy available since 2012
However a later, significant, development is the 'active' side-stick,[6] which is in the new Gulfstream G500/G600 series business jet aircraft. In this system, movements in one side-stick produce the same actions in the other side-stick and therefore provides valuable feedback to the other pilot. This addresses the earlier criticisms of the 'passive' side-stick. The 'active' side-stick also provides tactile feedback[7] to the pilot during manual flight and many believe it will become the standard for all new ‘FBW’ aircraft.
Such an 'active' side-stick can also be used to increase pilots’ adherence to a safe flight envelope by applying a force feedback when the pilot makes a control input that would bring the aircraft closer to (or beyond) the borders of the safe flight envelope. This reduces the risk of pilots entering dangerous states of flights outside the operational borders while maintaining the pilots' final authority and increasing their situation awareness.[8]
See also
References
- ^ Crane, Dale: Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition, page 463. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ISBN 1-56027-287-2
- ^ "Fly-by-wire - A CIVIL AVIATION FIRST". Airbus / Innovation / Proven concepts / In design / Fly-by-wire. Airbus. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Getline, Meryl (2005-11-21), "Ask the captain", USA Today
- ^ "Is Flight 447's 'Fly-by-Wire' Aircraft Technology Safe?". Fox News. 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
- ^ Ross, Nick (2012-04-28), "Air France Flight 447: 'Damn it, we're going to crash'", The Daily Telegraph (article),
It seems surprising that Airbus has conceived a system preventing one pilot from easily assessing the actions of the colleague beside him. And yet that is how their latest generations of aircraft are designed. The reason is that, for the vast majority of the time, side-sticks are superb.
- ^ "Commercial Active Sticks - An Active Role". BAE Systems | International. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
- ^ "BAE Brochure" (PDF).
- ^ Florian J. J. Schmidt-Skipiol; Peter Hecker (2015). "Tactile Feedback and Situation Awareness-Improving Adherence to an Envelope in Sidestick-Controlled Fly-by-Wire Aircrafts.[sic]". 15th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference: 2905. doi:10.2514/6.2015-2905.
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External links
- Formation stick from Popular Science 1945.