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If they're mechanically linked, the captain would at least feel the first officer countering their inputs -- giving a prompt that they need to communicate their

If they're mechanically linked, the captain would at least feel the first officer countering their inputs -- giving a prompt that they need to communicate their intentions more clearly! I'll defer to a pilot to say whether they are mechanically linked -- it sounds like they are on Boeing aircraft but possibly not on Airbus?

WalterBright 8y ago
They're mechanically linked on Boeing aircraft. On the 757, and I believe the rest, the mechanical link has a detent. With enough force, the pilot can move it out of the detent and move the controls independently of the copilot. The reason for this is if one side or the other is jammed, the pilot can still fly it.
foldr 8y ago
No, the captain would not, because only one pilot has their hands on the controls in any given instance (with the possible exception of rotation at takeoff).
- ceejayoz 8y ago
  Clearly, that’s not always the case, given at least one plane falling out of the sky from dual control inputs. Mistakes happen. Part of aviation safety is preventing that from becoming fatal.
  - foldr 8y ago
    >Clearly, that’s not always the case, given at least one plane falling out of the sky from dual control inputs. That's not what the accident report concludes. There's a clearly audible "dual input" alarm to prevent dual inputs. Dual control inputs only occurred for brief moments during the AF flight.
    - ceejayoz 8y ago
      It's quite clear that wasn't sufficient. "Brief moments" during critical points in an emergency can matter enormously. From the recorder transcript: > As the plane approaches 10,000 feet, Robert tries to take back the controls, and pushes forward on the stick, but the plane is in "dual input" mode, and so the system averages his inputs with those of Bonin, who continues to pull back. The nose remains high. 02:13:40 (Robert) Remonte... remonte... remonte... remonte... Climb... climb... climb... climb... 02:13:40 (Bonin) Mais je suis à fond à cabrer depuis tout à l'heure! But I've had the stick back the whole time! 02:13:42 (Captain) Non, non, non... Ne remonte pas... non, non. No, no, no... Don't climb... no, no. 02:13:43 (Robert) Alors descends... Alors, donne-moi les commandes... À moi les commandes! Descend, then... Give me the controls... Give me the controls! > Bonin yields the controls, and Robert finally puts the nose down. The plane begins to regain speed. But it is still descending at a precipitous angle. As they near 2000 feet, the aircraft's sensors detect the fast-approaching surface and trigger a new alarm. There is no time left to build up speed by pushing the plane's nose forward into a dive. At any rate, without warning his colleagues, Bonin once again takes back the controls and pulls his side stick all the way back. The crash occurred less than a minute later.
      - foldr 8y ago
        Check the official accident report and the associated transcript. You appear to be copy/pasting from an old Popular Mechanics article. https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp090601.en.pdf https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp09060... https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/annexe.01.en.pdf https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/annexe.01... See in particular 2 h 13 min 39,7 and 2 h 13 min 40,6. Both of the pilots at the controls thought that they needed to climb. The captain realizes the mistake, but he's not at the controls, so linked sticks would have made zero difference to his perception of the situation. The accident report concludes that the stall was probably unrecoverable by this point anyway.
        ceejayoz 8y ago
        The section I'm citing is right there on page 31 of your second link. See 2 h 13 min 39,7. More dual input at 2 h 14 min 03,2. Crash at 2 h 14 min 28,4.

WalterBright 8y ago

They're mechanically linked on Boeing aircraft. On the 757, and I believe the rest, the mechanical link has a detent. With enough force, the pilot can move it out of the detent and move the controls independently of the copilot. The reason for this is if one side or the other is jammed, the pilot can still fly it.

foldr 8y ago

No, the captain would not, because only one pilot has their hands on the controls in any given instance (with the possible exception of rotation at takeoff).

ceejayoz 8y ago
Clearly, that’s not always the case, given at least one plane falling out of the sky from dual control inputs. Mistakes happen. Part of aviation safety is preventing that from becoming fatal.
- foldr 8y ago
  >Clearly, that’s not always the case, given at least one plane falling out of the sky from dual control inputs. That's not what the accident report concludes. There's a clearly audible "dual input" alarm to prevent dual inputs. Dual control inputs only occurred for brief moments during the AF flight.
  - ceejayoz 8y ago
    It's quite clear that wasn't sufficient. "Brief moments" during critical points in an emergency can matter enormously. From the recorder transcript: > As the plane approaches 10,000 feet, Robert tries to take back the controls, and pushes forward on the stick, but the plane is in "dual input" mode, and so the system averages his inputs with those of Bonin, who continues to pull back. The nose remains high. 02:13:40 (Robert) Remonte... remonte... remonte... remonte... Climb... climb... climb... climb... 02:13:40 (Bonin) Mais je suis à fond à cabrer depuis tout à l'heure! But I've had the stick back the whole time! 02:13:42 (Captain) Non, non, non... Ne remonte pas... non, non. No, no, no... Don't climb... no, no. 02:13:43 (Robert) Alors descends... Alors, donne-moi les commandes... À moi les commandes! Descend, then... Give me the controls... Give me the controls! > Bonin yields the controls, and Robert finally puts the nose down. The plane begins to regain speed. But it is still descending at a precipitous angle. As they near 2000 feet, the aircraft's sensors detect the fast-approaching surface and trigger a new alarm. There is no time left to build up speed by pushing the plane's nose forward into a dive. At any rate, without warning his colleagues, Bonin once again takes back the controls and pulls his side stick all the way back. The crash occurred less than a minute later.
    - foldr 8y ago
      Check the official accident report and the associated transcript. You appear to be copy/pasting from an old Popular Mechanics article. https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp090601.en.pdf https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp09060... https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/annexe.01.en.pdf https://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/annexe.01... See in particular 2 h 13 min 39,7 and 2 h 13 min 40,6. Both of the pilots at the controls thought that they needed to climb. The captain realizes the mistake, but he's not at the controls, so linked sticks would have made zero difference to his perception of the situation. The accident report concludes that the stall was probably unrecoverable by this point anyway.
      - ceejayoz 8y ago
        The section I'm citing is right there on page 31 of your second link. See 2 h 13 min 39,7. More dual input at 2 h 14 min 03,2. Crash at 2 h 14 min 28,4.