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What I am curious about whether it would have been possible to deactivate the spoilers, at least in roll-assistance? From the MH-370 discussions here I had the
by chopin 4y ago
What I am curious about whether it would have been possible to deactivate the spoilers, at least in roll-assistance?
From the MH-370 discussions here I had the impression that the pilot can shut-off every system.
- mannykannot 4y agoI don't think the article was completely clear about this, but I was left with the impression that the solution was to always turn the yoke far enough that the spoilers overrode the ailerons. The alternative - to use reversed controls - is so against one's experience that it may not be feasible even if you know what is going on. Are there any home-computer flight simulators (or their controllers) that can be hacked to simulate reversed ailerons?
- Gordonjcp 4y agoYou could probably do it in FlightGear, and modify the aircraft to model reversed ailerons but correct spoilers. I wonder if you could do it by dicking around with the joystick inputs, giving "reversed" controls over the first little bit, then a dead spot, then correct inputs once you've moved more than a certain amount?
- mannykannot 4y agoI am mostly interested in the simpler question of whether a pilot can fly an approach with reversed roll controls (i.e., without the counteracting spoiler action), knowing that they are reversed, but without having practiced beforehand.
- Gordonjcp 4y agoOh you could use any flight sim and just mess with the joystick wiring then! Or possibly even just the calibration. I'm going to go with "pretty much no". I'm prepared to bet that you in your house with no pressure could probably more-or-less do it, because you know already what's going on and you're not going to die and you're not in a real plane with your primary instrument - the Mk1 Human Backside - being tossed around enough to knock it out of calibration. Have you seen the film "Sully"? If not I won't spoil it for you, but it raises a similar issue.
- mannykannot 4y agoI'm doubtful I could succeed even in a simulator, but I'm more interested in whether seasoned professionals could succeed. I have seen "Sully", but I don't recall where the issue of inverted controls came up, either in the movie or the actual incident.
- stavros 4y agoI don't know about simulators, but I can tell you that, out of the ten or so times I reversed the ailerons by mistake on my RC planes, zero landed without crashing. Yes, it took me ten crashes before checking that the control surfaces move the right way before flight. Now I run a battery of tests, each one inspired by multiple crashes.
- CrazyStat 4y agoThey eventually landed (after two failed attempts) by not touching the ailerons at all and using only the rudder.