Lt. Col. Randy "Laz" Gordon is an accomplished test pilot, engineer, and F-22 Raptor squadron commander who lent his expertise about all things aviation, and especially about the F-22's incredible fly-by-wire flight control system, to students taking MIT's Private Pilot Ground School in 2019. His lecture is astonishingly accessible considering the complexities of the systems and concepts he describes and will give anyone a remarkable appreciation for just how incredible the super-maneuverable Raptor'sflight control system really is.
Gordon covers so much ground in his talk. He talks about the constant tension between low-observability (stealth) and aerodynamics that resulted in the F-22's design, the massive loads the Raptor's powerful flight control system and its huge control surfaces have to instantly counteract, how supersonic flight requires unique flight control concepts, and even how permanent magnetic generators keep power running to the F-22's flight controls just by having the engines windmill.
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There is truly an astonishing amount of information in this presentation and it also acts as a great primer for anyone who is new to the concept of fly-by-wire flight control systems.
Some other interesting tidbits include:
Check out the whole video for yourself below:
Although it is not formally talked about in the presentation, as we have discussed in the past, low-observability is also factored into flight control systems on stealthy aircraft. This would be yet another layer to the F-22's flight control programming.
What parts did you find interesting? Let us know in the comments below!
Author's note: A big thanks to David Williams for sending this little gem over.
Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com
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