The 3 primary flight control system modes of operation are normal, secondary and
direct.
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In the normal mode, the following operate normally:
Autopilots
Auto speed brakes
All protection features
Primary flight computers
ACEs
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The system automatically switches to the secondary mode for:
Internal failure
Lack of information detected from other systems
The ACEs continue to receive your control inputs and send these signals to the 3
PFCs.
However, the PFCs use simplified computations to generate flight control surface
commands.
In the secondary mode, the following systems are not available:
Autopilot
Auto speed brakes
Envelope protection
Tail strike protection
Thrust Asymmetry Compensation
Yaw Damping
Other protection features
When the PFCs are in the secondary mode:
EICAS displays the caution message FLIGHT CONTROL MODE
Full manual control is retained
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The primary flight control system automatically switches to direct mode if all 3 PFCs
fail.
You can manually switch to the direct mode by selecting DISC on the PRIMARY
FLIGHT COMPUTERS switch.
In the direct mode, the ACEs disconnect from the PFCs and operate flight control
surfaces directly from pilot inputs.
When in the direct mode
EICAS displays the caution message, PRI FLIGHT COMPUTERS
DISC light illuminates
Still retain full manual control of the airplane
AUTO is the normal position for the PRIMARY FLIGHT COMPUTER switch.
In AUTO, the flight control system operates in the normal mode and automatically
switches to secondary or direct modes if a system fault occurs.
In the DISC position, the PFCs disconnect and the flight control system goes into the
direct mode
Reselecting AUTO may restore normal or secondary operation.
The DISC light illuminates when the system, automatically or manually, is in the direct
mode.
ROLL CONTROL
Autopilot operation inhibits aileron trim.
When augmenting roll control, the spoilers work asymmetrically.
Spoiler panels 5 and 10 are only available during low speed operations.
Spoiler panels 4 and 11 are also mechanically controlled through a cable from the
control wheel.
This insures operation of these 2 panels as long as the left hydraulic system is
operational.
PITCH CONTROL
The PFCs provide compensation for gear, flap and speedbrake configuration changes.
This eliminates the need to make control column inputs to compensate for these
factors.
For turns up to 30° of bank, turn compensation eliminates the need to add additional
column back pressure to maintain altitude.
HST
There are two stabilizer position indicators; one on each side of the control stand.
The scale is in units of stabilizer position and the white diamond shows the current
stabilizer position.
The illuminated green band, computed by the FMC, displays the allowable range of
the stabilizer for takeoff
The FMC positions the green band based on:
Gross weight
Takeoff thrust
CG information
The green band defaults to midrange when:
No information is available
V1 is not selected or entered
If the stabilizer signal is not present or is invalid, the green band and the pointer do
not display.
To ensure the green band is correct, a nose gear oleo pressure switch provides an
automatic cross-check of the CG.
EICAS displays the advisory message, STAB GREENBAND, if the nose gear pressure
switch disagrees with the FMC computed stabilizer green band position.
Engaging the autopilot inhibits the primary pitch trim switches.
On the ground, the pitch trim switches directly position the stabilizer.
In flight,for the Direct flight control mode, the pitch trim switches do not position the
stabilizer directly, but make inputs to the PFCs to change the trim reference speed.
The trim reference speed is the speed at which the airplane would eventually
stabilize if there were no control column inputs
When pilot trim inputs are made, the PFCs:
Automatically move the elevators to achieve the trim change
Move the stabilizer to streamline the elevator
The dual alternate pitch trim levers on the control stand control alternate pitch trim.
You must move both levers to command trim changes.
These levers move the trim reference speed (normal mode) and directly move the
stabilizer (all modes).
The alternate pitch trim levers link directly to the Stabilizer Trim Control Modules
(STCMs) via cables and then mechanically to the stabilizers.
Stabilizer Cutout Switches
In NORM, hydraulic power to the stabilizer is automatically shut off if unscheduled
stabilizer motion is detected.
Moving the switch to the CUTOUT manually closes the hydraulic shutoff valve.
EICAS displays the advisory message, STABILIZER C (R) if:
STCM is automatically shutdown
Respective switch is in CUTOUT
With one STCM operational, pitch trim is still available at a reduced rate.
EICAS displays the advisory message STABILIZER CUTOUT if both switches are in the
CUTOUT position
In the normal mode, pitch trim is still available to position the elevators through the
PFCs.
EICAS displays the warning message, STABILIZER, if:
Uncommanded stabilizer motion is detected
Stabilizer is inoperative
To preserve elevator authority, you should not exceed the airspeed at which the
STABILIZER message occurred.
flight envelope protection
The flight envelope protection features include:
Stall protection for pitch
Overspeed protection for pitch
Bank angle protection for roll
The stall warning system consists of a stick shaker and no aural stall warning.
The stick shaker activates at the minimum speed displayed on the PFD airspeed
indicator.
If airspeed decreases to below minimum maneuvering speed:
Nose up trim is inhibited
You must apply continuous aft column force to maintain airspeed below the
minimum maneuvering speed
Overspeed protection inhibits nose down trim with airspeed at or above VMO/MMO
speed.
You must apply continuous forward column force to maintain airspeed above
VMO/MMO.
Bank angle protection provides roll control wheel inputs when airplane bank angle
exceeds approximately 35°.
The PFD bank indicator changes color to amber at bank angles greater than 35°
If the boundary is exceeded, the control wheel force rolls the airplane back to within
30° of [Link] be override by crew.
Yaw control
Yaw control is provided by:
Rudder pedals
Rudder trim system
Rudder ratio system
Yaw dampers
In the secondary mode, yaw damping is available if inertial (ADIRU) data is available.
Yaw damping is not available in the direct mode
The rudder ratio changer automatically reduces rudder authority.
At low airspeeds, the rudder has full deflection.
At high airspeeds, the PFCs gradually reduce the rudder deflection to assure
structural protection for the vertical tail structure
In secondary and direct modes, rudder response defaults to 2 fixed ratios.
Flap position determines rudder response.
With flaps up, rudder response is less than with flaps down.
Thrust Asymmetry Compensation
Thrust Asymmetry Compensation (TAC) significantly reduces the uncommanded
flight path changes during an engine failure.
When engine thrust differs by more than 10%, TAC automatically adds rudder to
minimize yaw.
TAC applies rudder quantities proportional to the difference in engine thrust.
Following an engine failure the pilot can still trim the airplane using additional rudder
trim, or aileron trim.
This allows you or the autopilot to center the control wheel.
Visual cues that show the TAC is operating include:
Rudder pedal movement
Movement of the rudder trim
TAC automatically disengages if:
Engine thrust data is lost
Engine is damaged
Engine surges
TAC is not available when:
Airspeed is below 70 knots on the ground
Reverse thrust is applied
Automatically disengaged due to system malfunctions
Loss of engine thrust data
Flight controls are in secondary or direct modes
gust suppression function:
Reduces the effects of lateral gusts
Improves lateral ride quality when in the normal flight control mode
Gust suppression transducers in the surface send signals to the ACEs.
The ACEs send this data to the PFCs to adjust PCU commands, dampening the force
of the side gust.
This function is available for both yaw and roll commands.
There is no feedback to either rudder pedal or control wheel.
Tail Strike Protection
During takeoff and landing, Tail Strike Protection (TSP) is available to prevent
inadvertent tail strikes.
If the PFCs calculate that a tail strike is imminent:
Elevator deflection automatically decreases
Potential for tail ground contact is reduced
Tail strike protection is not available in the secondary and direct modes.