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New technology could save lives: NRC Aerospace
July 7, 2011 By Carey Fredericks
July 7, 2011, Ottawa - NRC Aerospace has developed a technology, named fly-by-wire, that will give helicopter pilots far better control especially under conditions that could put their life at risk.
The new technology is for rotary-wing aircraft in which an electronic interface replaces manual controls.
In the fly-by-wire system, the pilot's control stick movements are converted to electronic signals and transmitted to computers, and the computers determine how to move the actuators at each control surface to provide the best response.
The computers also enhance performance by issuing commands without the pilot's knowledge to stabilize the aircraft and perform other tasks.
Fly-by-wire helicopters require a pilot to manually select the appropriate mode for the given task and condition, using control panel switches.
The NRC technology tailors the aircraft dynamics based on the character of the pilot's control inputs.
