Carefree Handling
The Eurofighter Typhoon's full authority, quadruplex, digital, fly-by-wire, Flight Control System (FCS), in combination with its canard/delta wing configuration airframe delivers high supersonic manoeuvrability and subsonic agility. The FCS also protects the aircraft from any inadvertent (or intentional) pilot control demands which exceed the aircraft's structural or aerodynamic limits, it also provides the pilot with carefree handling.
What does "carefree handling" really mean and what benefits does it give the Eurofighter Typhoon pilot?
In most aircraft, the pilot faces a host of limitations that fall into two broad categories:
Structural: An aircraft will be damaged if exposed to excessive stress forces. If a pilot turns too tightly, especially at higher speeds where a higher g force is achievable, that force can damage or deform the aircraft structure, ultimately to the point of break-up.
Aerodynamic: The controlled airflow around an aircraft body keeps an aircraft flying and manoeuvre limits are necessary to keep that airflow correct. A number of manoeuvres - rolling too quickly, pulling in to a turn or loop too quickly or flying too slowly - make the angle at which the airflow meets the aircraft ("angle of attack") too great, causing the normally smooth and predictable airflow over the aircraft wing or fin to separate. This is an aerodynamic stall that reduces the airflow's lifting effect and, unless detected and immediately corrected, can lead to departure from controlled flight.
The pilot must always know what limits apply at any part of a flight and, since the consequences of exceeding them are severe, they must take care, at all times, to fly the aircraft within these limits.
In Eurofighter Typhoon, the aircraft responds to whatever demands and maneuver the pilot wishes, safe in the knowledge that the flight control computers will command the movement of the flight control surfaces to provide the response requested. Eurofighter Typhoon's FCS is also aware of the flight parameters, such as speed, altitude, configuration, aircraft mass and balance, which define the prevailing structural and aerodynamic limits, so it is able to limit any response to pilot control demands and keep the aircraft within the permitted envelope. Thus, the Eurofighter Typhoon pilot cannot over-stress the aircraft structure or fly in such a way that the aircraft departs from controlled flight.
For the combat pilot this provides two significant benefits. To get the utmost performance from the aircraft, the fighter pilot often needs to fly at the highest possible g, or angle of attack, yet without exceeding aircraft limits. This is difficult and it takes extensive training before the pilot can do this safely. Additionally, the pilot is forced to monitor the aircraft instruments and make continuous, small adjustments in response to changing indications and to achieve best performance in combat. In the Eurofighter Typhoon, the pilot can confidently and quickly demand maximum performance from the aircraft, such as pulling the control stick fully back, safe in the knowledge that the aircraft will respond with the maximum performance available without exceeding any of the limitations.
Second, because pilots do not need to worry about flying within the limits, they can devote 100% of their attention to opponents, rather than monitoring aircraft parameters.
Carefree handling also provides advantages for the aircraft and the designer. Earlier designs had to take account of the risk of a pilot inadvertently exceeding the limits; the aircraft structure had to include additional safety margins, which increased the mass of the aircraft and so reduced its performance. Similarly, the aerodynamic limits also included safety margins to allow for accidental mishandling and so restricted the amount of performance a pilot was allowed to squeeze from the aircraft. With carefree handling the need for these built-in safety margins is significantly reduced, allowing optimum performance of the aircraft and its systems.
Eurofighter Typhoon carefree handling is "win-win", it provides easy access to maximum performance while at the same time maximising that performance.
High Resolution images of the Eurofighter Typhoon can be downloaded from our web site. Hard Copy images are available on request.
For more information contact
Dr. Theodor Benien
Vice President Communications
Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH
Am Söldnermoos 17
85399 Hallbergmoos
Germany
Tel.: +49 811 80 1555
Fax: +49 811 80 1557
Mobile: +49 (0)160 93 99 38 40
theodor.benien @eurofighter.com