The ability to stabilize an aircraft without a pilot, also known as an autopilot, opened the door to many new civilian and military technologies. In this introductory section of flight control fundamentals, we discuss the early motivation of the flight control system, the first autopilot demonstration in 1914, how this development led to the first cruise missile technologies, how drawbacks of mechanical flight control technology lead to the first fly by wire systems, how digital fly by wire flight control enables the performance of today’s aircraft, and how digital fly by wire will continue to be a framework from which advancements in control algorithms directly translate improved aircraft performance.
Website: www.learngandc.com
Intro Music: Kevin MacLeod
