Why GA aircraft does not implement fly by wire technology?

Because the software for a fly by wire system to a certified standard suitable for primary aircraft controls would be a hugely expensive project. I would expect it would cost more than companies spend on the entire design and certification of GA aircraft. It’s not viable up to Citation jets at $10M a go, so on SEPs it’s a commercial non starter.

What safety benefit do you think there is?

I do not remember exactly but I read some article that there is a research project going on for fly by wire in GA aircraft. Maybe it was some University and ESA and the project was far in progress. No time to google now but I’ll post if I remember details.

OMG – Fly by wire on a PA28 let’s hope the contacts on the master solenoid/ relay are tight and they decide to put a diode on the Master switch to deal back EMF by then!

I think I’ll stick to mechanical cables. I don’t even like electric flaps and luckily don’t have those.

Having said that, I am not a complete Luddite. I like the idea of envelope protection from the GFC500 Garmin Autopilot and I’m planning to have that fitted next year.

Bingo_Fuel wrote:

I was thinking why there is not any kit out there to be able to add fly by wire or perspective safety features on general aviation aircraft’s.

Dynon has all this stuff (and then some). The new Vashon R7 has autolevel button on all their versions. Lots of microlights got this also.

Fly by wire on the other hand, is a different concept, and not likely to enter GA in a 1000 years IMO.

Bingo_Fuel wrote:

Today I was flying my Parrot Disco(for a change) and I was thinking why there is not any kit out there to be able to add fly by wire or perspective safety features on general aviation aircraft’s.

Defiantly a life saver and the technology is out there for so many years.

Well, what could you achieve with fly-by-wire that you could not achieve with control rods or cables and servos? Isn’t the video the proof that you can implement envelope protection without fly-by-wire?

Larger aircraft require power assistance to move the controls. Our aircraft do not, hence cables or rods are adequate. You can still add a stick pusher using servos, although the pilot could overpower them.

Apart from the cost, don’t you think the average GA pilot does not have enough WTF moments with the autopilot as it is? If you add automation to light aircraft, wouldn’t the avg GA pilot get even more WTF moments? Would that be conducive to improved safety?

What role did automation play in the AF443 accident? What about the Habsheim accident?

Sometimes simplicity is a virtue.

There are fly by wire GA aircraft – the E-Hang and Volocopter multicopters for example. Some electric concept winged aircraft use differential throttling on their many propellers to substitute for ailerons. There’s a NASA design with small very high aspect ratio wings and multiple tilting propellers to be used at take-off. I haven’t heard of a manned version flying yet.

For classical winged aircraft (PA28 etc) I haven’t heard of anything; nor would I see any real advantage in such an aircraft..

Aviathor wrote:

What role did automation play in the AF443 accident?

Very little, I would say. An ASI failure in cruise should be a complete non-event. Control could easily have been regained if the pilots had looked at the attitude indicator and realised they were nose-high.

Airborne_Again wrote:

Control could easily have been regained if the pilots had looked at the attitude indicator and realised they were nose-high.

I suggest you read the accident report. While the crew did not exactly cover themselves in glory, for a large part of the way down the pitch and power were reasonable values for a climb (10-15 degrees nose up) with full power, but the aircraft was descending at a steep angle and the angle of attack was more around 40 degrees.

Other than that they should not have ended up in that situation in the first place, there is a reason why the airline world has changed training in general and introduced extra training requirements for cover these situation and other upsets.