The key feature of the gyroscopic stabiliser apparatus was that it incorporated a gyroscope to regulate the control surfaces of the aircraft. Lawrence Sperry managed to design a smaller and lighter version of a gyroscope and the device was integrated into an aircraft's hydraulic control system. Using a negative feedback loop, the gyroscope automatically adjusted the control surfaces of an aircraft to maintain straight and level flight. Today, most modern commercial aircraft have flight management systems (FMS), which are specialised computer systems that automate a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload on the flight crew to the point that modern civilian aircraft no longer carry flight engineers, radio officers or navigators. One of the main sub-systems of the FMS is the flight management computer (FMC), which has a large database that is pre-programmed with the GPS co-ordinates of all the waypoints for the routes the aircraft is likely to operate, and airport characteristics data. There are other automated systems on board the aircraft, such as autoland, autobrakes, auto throttle, air data system, automatic flight guidance, ground proximity warning, airborne collision avoidance systems, windshear detection systems, etc, all of which, through system integration interfaces with the FMS, enable the aircraft to fly the intended route with minimal human pilot intervention.įull automation in flight requires integration with airborne surveillance systems and airport data. The aircraft’s position, speed, heading, altitude and other data such as fuel remaining on board can be known in real time to ground controllers using the space-based GPS System. Likewise, airports have to be equipped with ground aid equipment to guide the aircraft to the assigned arrival gate after landing.
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