how many flight control modes are there?

3
The primary flight control system is highly redundant, with
three operating modes: normal mode, secondary mode, and
direct mode.

what are the primary flight control surfaces?

Flight Control Surfaces
Pitch control is provided by:
• two elevators
• a movable horizontal stabilizer
Roll control is provided by:
• two flaperons
• two ailerons
• fourteen spoilers
Yaw control is provided by a single rudder.

How does asymmetry protection work on the ground with an

engine failure?
On the ground above 60 knots groundspeed, the flight control
system attempts to maintain a yaw rate near zero by
commanding rudder to counter the majority of the yawing
moment due to an engine failure. The rudder pedals move to
give the pilots feedback.

How does asymmetry protection work on the ground?

During reverse thrust asymmetry conditions, or during
takeoffs in crosswind or gusty conditions, the flight control
system attempts to maintain a zero yaw rate by automatically
adding rudder corrections. Under these conditions the rudder
pedals do not move.
what about asymmetry in flight?
automatic asymmetry occurs in all flight regimes to zero yaw,
and the rudder pedal move to alert the pilot. and is shown on
eicas

What are some of the features of rudder trim?

Automatic in flight (will move rudder pedals)
Automatically zeroed on landing
Rudder trim is inhibited on the ground above 30 kts and
during approach LAND3

In secondary and direct modes, the rudder ratio changer is

based on ___________
flap position.. Less rudder with flaps up.

How many sets of spoilers are there?

There are 7 sets of spoilers, 4 outboard and 3 inboard of the
flaperons, on the upper surface of each wing.

How are the spoilers powered?

All three hydraulic systems control 5 sets of the spoilers the
remaining 2 sets are electrically controlled.

What causes the EICAS advisory message SPOILERS to

display?
failure of 2 spoilers in flight or one spoiler not down and
locked on the ground.

What causes the EICAS message SPOILER PAIR to display?

Failure of three or more spoiler panels causes the EICAS
advisory message SPOILER PAIRS to display.

what are some of the unique flight control failure

redundancies? With loss of all hydraulics? or loss of flight
control signaling ?
In the unlikely event of the loss of all hydraulic power, the
electrically actuated stabilizer and two spoiler pairs allow
pilot control of pitch and roll using the primary pitch trim
switches, alternate pitch trim switches, and the control wheel.
If there is a complete loss of flight control signaling, direct
wiring from the flight deck to the stabilizer and a spoiler pair
allow pilot control of pitch using the alternate pitch trim
switches and roll using the control wheel.

What are the flight control locks for?

There are two FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES lock switches
located on the overhead panel for locking out the flight
control surfaces on the tail and wings. The flight control lock
switches are for use by maintenance personnel to prevent
surface movement when working on or in the area of the
control surfaces.

What happens if the flight controls are locked on take off?

the flight control surfaces automatically unlock when
groundspeed exceeds 40 knots.
There is also an eicas message alerting the crew.

Tell me about flight controls in normal mode?

In the normal mode during manual flight (autopilot
disengaged), four ACEs (actuator control electronics) receive
pilot control inputs and send these signals to three PFCs.
(Primary Flight
Computers)
The PFCs verify these signals and information from other
airplane systems to compute enhanced control surface
commands. These commands are sent back to the ACEs, then
to the flight control surface actuators. (

what happens to the flight controls after landing and below

30 knots?
After landing with flaps and speed brakes retracted and
groundspeed less than 30 knots, a series of flight control self-
tests are run. The first series of tests require hydraulic power
to be on, and take approximately 90 seconds to complete.
These tests start when the flaps are retracted and also
require that hydraulic power not be interrupted or flight
controls moved to avoid interrupting these tests. If the
engines are shutdown before the flaps are retracted, these
tests are not accomplished. If the tests are interrupted or are
not accomplished on two consecutive flights, a fault condition
may be set.
After the first series of tests are complete, and all hydraulic
systems are depressurized, an additional series of flight
control self-tests are run. These tests take approximately 70
seconds and require that hydraulics remain un powered and
the flaps or speedbrakes not be moved during the tests.
While each series of tests are running, various EICAS alert
and status messages display, the trim indication blinks, and
various failures display on the flight controls synoptic page.
When the self-tests are complete, the EICAS alert and status
messages are removed, and the trim indicator and synoptic
display return to normal.

In secondary mode what features are not available?

In the secondary mode, the following functions are not
available:
• autopilot
• pitch compensation
• auto speedbrakes
• roll/yaw asymmetry compensation
• envelope protection
• tail strike protection

when does the flight control mode revert to secondary?

The PFCs automatically revert to secondary mode when
inertial or air data is insufficient to support normal mode or
when all slat and flap position data is unavailable.

Can the secondary mode be manually entered?

NO

When do the flight controls revert to direct mode?

The ACEs automatically transition to the direct mode when
they detect the failure of all three PFCs or lose
communication with the PFCs.

Can the direct mode be manually entered?

yes

When does the pilot have to make trim changes during pitch
control?
When airspeed changes.
In all other cases :The PFCs provide pitch compensation by
utilizing control surface commands to minimize airplane pitch
responses to thrust changes, configuration changes (gear,
flap, speedbrake), turbulence, and turns up to 30° of bank.
The PFCs automatically control pitch to maintain a relatively
constant flight path. This eliminates the need for the pilot to
make control column inputs to compensate for these factors.
For turns up to 30° of bank, the pilot does not need to add
additional column back pressure to maintain altitude. For
turns of more than 30° of bank, the pilot does need to add
column back pressure.
Do the pitch trim sws function with autopilot on?
NO, The primary pitch trim switches are inhibited when the
autopilot is engaged. Pitch trim does not move the control
column.

How is pitch trim different on the ground vs in flight?

(normal mode)
On the ground, the stabilizer is directly positioned when the
pilot uses the pitch trim switches.
In flight, 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.

how does the stab trim function in secondary or direct

mode?
In the secondary or direct modes, primary pitch trim operates
the same on the ground and in flight; the stabilizer is directly
positioned when the pilot uses the primary pitch trim
switches.

How is alternate stab trim different than normal trim?

Alternate pitch trim commands have priority over primary
pitch trim commands in all flight control modes.

Does alternate trim function the same as normal trim in

normal, direct and secondary mode?
yes, trim reference speed in NORMAL mode and direct to the
ACE when in other modes.

What envelope protection is there in PITCH?

The pitch envelope protection functions include:
• overspeed protection
• stall protection

Can the pilot override the protections?

yes with twice the normal stick force.

Tell me how tail strike protection works?

During takeoff or landing, the PFCs calculate if a tail strike is
imminent and decrease elevator deflection, if required, to
reduce the potential for tail contact with the ground.
Activation of tail strike protection does not provide feedback
to the control column. Protection does not degrade takeoff
performance and is compatible with the autoland system.

Does secondary or direct mode provide for pitch

compensation?
NO compensations for:
• flap and speedbrake
• turns to 30° bank angle
-configuration changes
• gear configuration changes
• thrust changes
• turbulence

What happens to the stabilizer if uncommanded stabilizer

motion is sensed?
the stabilizer channel that caused the motion is automatically
shut down

Can the stabilizer still function?

yes the other channel

What message would the eicas dispay with a single stab

channel failure?
STABILIZER L2 or R@

What message would be displayed with both stab channels

failed?
STABILIZER

With both R2 and L2 stab cutout sws placed in the cutout

position, what would be displayed?
STABILIZER CUTOUT

If stab has failed or been shut down is pitch trim still

available?
yes
In the normal mode, when the stabilizer is manually shut
down or has failed, pitch trim is still available through the
elevators. Pitch trim commands from the primary or alternate
pitch trim switches change the trim reference speed. The
elevators then trim the airplane but the stabilizer does not
move.

What is column cutout?

If a nose up or nose down pitch trim command from either the
primary or alternate trim switches is opposed by either
control column for more than 2 seconds, the column cutout
function disables the specific pitch trim switch commands
until the switch input indicates no trim input. If the column
cutout function remains active for more than 20 seconds, i.e.
the trim switch remains jammed or failed, the STABILIZER
L2/R2 EICAS advisory is displayed, the flight control system
reverts to Direct mode, and the uncommanded input is
removed by system shutdown.

When is the stab green band indicator shown on the micas?

Ground:
on initial power up
after landing and less than 40 knots
after landing and any pair of pitch trim switches are used
and:
in the air and any of the following EICAS messages are active:
• FLIGHT CONTROL MODE
• PITCH DOWN AUTHORITY
• PITCH UP AUTHORITY
• PRI FLIGHT COMPUTERS
• STABILIZER
• STABILIZER CUTOUT

When does the stab green band indication go away?

gear up for 10 seconds
or 60 seconds after liftoff

when is EICAS advisory message STAB GREENBAND

displayed?
is displayed if:
• computed green band disagrees with pressure transducer
data, or
• the two transducer values are not within the set tolerance,
or
• either transducer has failed

Tell me three things about roll control that differs from a

conventional airplane?
Control wheel forces increase as control displacement
increases.
The ailerons are locked out at high speeds.

Aileron trim is incorporated into the flight control laws and no

pilot input is required.

Is there bank angle protection with the autopilot off?

yes.
Bank angle protection provides roll control wheel inputs when
airplane bank angle exceeds the bank angle protection
boundary of approximately 35°. If the boundary is exceeded,
the control wheel force rolls the airplane back within 30° of
bank. This roll command can be overridden by the pilot.

Can bank angle protection be overridden?

Yes, with pilot control wheel force, temporarily
or by disengaging the AP with the disengage bar on the MCP
Is roll envelope protection available in modes other than
normal law?
NO.
Roll envelope bank angle protection is not available in the
secondary or direct modes.

On the ground how many hydraulic systems need to be

powered to move the flaps?
On the ground ,all three hydraulic systems must be
pressurized before flaps will move to avoid contact with an
unpowered (drooping) spoiler.

How do the flaps/slats sequence?

When moving the flaps to 1, only the slats move to the mid
position.
moving the flaps to 5, 15, and 20 the flaps move to the
selected position, the slats remain in the mid position.
moving the flap handle to 25 extends the slats to full
extension.
moving the handle to 30 moves the flaps to 30

how are the flaps controlled in normal mode?

In the primary mode, the flaps and slats are controlled
together and positioned using center hydraulic system
motors.

How are the flaps controlled in the secondary mode?

In the secondary mode the slats and flaps are controlled
separately and can be positioned by hydraulic or electric
motors.

Is flap load relief and auto gap protection available in

secondary mode?
NO, only in primary mode

how does flap load relief function?

If flap airspeed placard limits are exceeded with the flaps in
the 15 through 30 position, LOAD RELIEF is displayed and
the flaps automatically retract to a safe position appropriate
to the airspeed. Load relief retraction is limited to flaps 5.

What else protects the flaps from extension if speed is too

high?
If a flap overspeed exists, load relief prevents flap extension
beyond the 5, 15, or 20/25 positions until airspeed is
sufficiently reduced.

Is there slat load relief?

Slat load relief is available in the secondary mode. If airspeed
exceeds 225 KIAS with the slats fully extended, they retract to
the middle position and LOAD

What is slat auto gap?

The slat autogap function is only available in primary mode
when the slats are in the middle position and the airspeed is
below 225 KIAS. At a high angle of attack, autogap fully
extends the slats to increase the wing camber, thus
increasing the lift and margin to stall. The slats return to the
middle position after the angle of attack decreases. The
autogap trip threshold is a function of AOA, airspeed and flap
position.

What is pre gap protection?

In the secondary mode the system is too slow to respond to an
autogap request, so a pregap function exists. The slats
automatically move to the fully extended position from the
middle position when the flap lever is not UP and airspeed is
less than 225 KIAS. The slats remain in the extended position
until the flap lever is in the UP position or airspeed is above
225 KIAS.

What are cruise flaps?

Cruise flaps is an automated function that improves the
airplane's cruise performance by symmetrically moving the
flaps, ailerons, flaperons, and spoilers based on airplane
parameters such as weight, airspeed and altitude. Cruise
flaps optimizes performance in cruise by varying the camber
of the wing and thus reducing drag. Control surface
movements are minor and no pilot interaction is required. The
EICAS advisory message CRUISE FLAPS SYS is displayed if
the system fails with the flaps in an increased drag condition.

Flap and Slat Asymmetry Detection?

In primary and secondary modes the flap and slat systems are
designed to shutdown when a skew condition or asymmetric
deployment is detected. When the system is shutdown, the
corresponding EICAS caution message FLAPS DRIVE and/or
SLATS DRIVE is annunciated.

Uncommanded Flap or Slat Motion?

Uncommanded motion is detected when the flaps or slats:
• move away from the commanded position, or
• continue to move after reaching a commanded position, or
• move in a direction opposite to that commanded

Flap or Slat Disagree?

A disagree is detected when the flaps or slats do not move or
move too slowly after a commanded input. If the flap or slat is
operating in the primary mode, and the rate of motion is less
than half the normal rate, an automatic transfer to the
secondary mode occurs. The EICAS caution message FLAPS
PRIMARY FAIL and/or SLATS PRIMARY FAIL is displayed. If
motion continues at less than half the normal rate, the system
shuts down. The EICAS caution message FLAPS DRIVE and/or
SLATS DRIVE is displayed.