Fly-By-Wire

Fly-By-Wire is not a new technology, having been used in military aircraft for years. Airbus has had commercial aircraft using it since 1985, but the 777 is the first Boeing commercial aircraft to incorporate the technology. The system in the 777 is the first fully digital three-axis flight control system used in a commercial airliner, Airbus uses a two-axis system with the rudder controls being analog. Essentially, fly-by-wire is a system of transmitting control commands from the cockpit via electric wires to actuators on the control surfaces themselves. This means that there are no direct mechanical links, cable or hydraulic, between the pilots and the control surfaces eliminating weight and reducing complexity by removing a majority of the cables, linkages, and hydraulic tubing. Further, it facilitates the use of software to assist the pilots in making smoother and safer maneuvers.

Originally developed by Shadd Shokralla