Could sidesticks be linked?tspuWwVv e Rg r W
A sidestick is spring-loaded to the centre position.
If there were servos under the stick, connected to the other side stick, so instead of being spring-loaded to centre, it was spring-loaded to the position of the opposite stick. Then each pilot would get feedback on what the opposite pilot was doing, and the application of opposite stick actions could be prevented.
Is that feasible?
2 Answers
Yes. Gulfstream G500 and G600 are the first civilian transport category aircraft to have active sidestick. However, instead of mechanical linkages between the two sticks, the side sticks are coupled electrically.
Source: Aviation Week
Yes! It is feasible and recommendable, because the force sensors in fingers will create the extra inputs not available when humans are not looking at their or each others hands in emergency situations.
What you describe is often applied in simulators, for instance in B737 sims where captain and F/O side column and wheel can be uncoupled:
- Each column has its own Control Loading actuator.
- Each actuator measures the pilot force, and applies suitable resistance forces.
- The two actuators are normally linked in software, which can also unlink them.
- The actuators are powered by electric motors, which are fail passive unlike the hydraulics of olden days which had to be protected from hard over failures.
So not only is it feasible, it is technology with a decades old experience in the aviation world.
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$\\begingroup$ "which are fail passive" - until a short circuit lets the motor run away to its stops. $\\endgroup$ – Sean 4 hours ago
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$\\begingroup$ @Sean Have you ever seen that huge array of circuit breakers in an airliner, that protect against short circuits? Point is, an unpowered electric motor is immediately unable to exert any force, and can move relatively freely. Unpowering a hydraulic circuit is much more complicated. $\\endgroup$ – Koyovis 1 hour ago