INTRODUCTION TO FLY-BY-LIGHT CONTROL
IN AIRCRAFT
Chanakya Hingu TejasPardamwar Ruchika Wankhede
Electrical Engineering Electrical Engineering Electrical Engineering
SIGCE SIGCE SIGCE
Navi-Mumbai Navi-Mumbai Navi-Mumbai
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Abstract—Optical fiber has found the increased application in pulse and lightning are eliminated, which in-turn
field of technology with passage of time. There are many
advantages of optic fiber over other conventional technologies . eliminates the need for
The Fly-By-Wire technology brought revolution in flight control
system. Optical fiber technology is seen as next generation flight shielding and surge quenching circuits. This high
control system. The optical fiber technology in aerospace
industry was first practically implemented in airship. The fiber bandwidth capabilities are advantageous for data
optic added a new dimension to aircraft control systems in the bus lines and offer potential for all avionics data to
form of Fly-By-Light (FBL) control system. Despite of all the
features as in light-weight, miniaturized size, optimum design, be transmitted over a single line. Fiber optics also
practical application is still constrained. To boost the application eliminates the threat of fires due to insulation failure
of FLY BY LIGHT system, FLASH Program was initiated by
NASA in early 20th Century which gave ease to flight control or short-circuits failure which could cause
system .Using FBL system it has proved cost effective than FBW .
This article gives insights of architectural design and working
inadvertent actuation of control hardware
comparison of FLY BY WIRE and FLY BY LIGHT system of
control.
Keywords—component; formatting; style; styling; insert (key
words)
I. INTRODUCTION
In optical fiber-based instrumentation system the
three major components are 1. Optical source 2.
Photodetector or light receiver 3. Optical energy
guiding medium. The technology of optical fiber Figure-1: Fly by Light system
has found an increase application in aircraft
industry [1]. This technology offers numerous
advantages over conventional control system. Figure1 above shows the fly-by-light aircraft in this
Application of Fiber optic in communication and the gently simplified diagram, the engine control
control system is more advantageous than control and flight control computers are shown linked to
using wire based system Replacing the propulsion their respective set of optical sensors and optical
and flight control system electrical wiring with actuators, using fiber optic cables and electro-optic
interference.
optical fiber results in substantial weight and
volume saving. For example, if we say a fighter jet II. FLIGHT CONTROL
the weight reduction is estimated to be 57 kg and in
Whenever airplane changed its attitude, in flight it
commercial aircraft, the weight saving could reach
turns on one or more of its three axis which are
680kg. Since optical fibers are dielectric, problem
imaginary line passing through center of gravity.
of electromagnetic interference, electromagnetic
At the point where all the three axes intersect, they
are mutually perpendicular. The axes that extends
lengthwise through the fuselage from the nose to
tail is called as longitudinal axis which extends
crosswise is called lateral axis and the third is
vertical axis.
I. Development of Flight Control system Figure 2: Fly-By-Light Control
In initial aircraft, control surfaces were controlled
mechanically. Here the pilot used mechanical force To validate a FBL system, Photonic-Controlled
on control stick for controlling the aircraft. Actuation System (PCAS) is introduced. The PCAS
Subsequently, the aircraft control systems have consists of a modified Electro Mechanical Actuator
evolved over the years. (EMA) and an optical controller that gives actuator
Since these many years, various system of flight commands to the optical EMA. These commands
control have been established are similar to the commands that a flight control
1. Mechanical Control system computer provides. Engineers has modified the
2. Fly-by-Wire control system Electro Mechanical Actuator that provides motor
3. Fly-by-light control system power devices to receive as well as react to
command signals sent via light from the optical
Fly-By-Light Control system controller. In addition to that they have replaced the
EMA‟s conventional sensors with optical sensors
Fly-By-Light (FBL) relies on similar system that measure actuator position, motor position, and
followed by FBW except that all the sensors are current. Fiber-optic cables transmit information to
optical rather than electronic or electrical. In this the optical controller. Data is collected by engineer
type of control system, input command signals are by performing several test runs. Data analysis by
sent to the actuators through the medium of optical- the engineer is verified that the modified PCAS
fiber lines. The feedback from the control surfaces performed as designed, with no adverse effects to
and other systems is routed in a similar way. The performance stemming from the fly-by-light
computer unit which is also called as data processor components or technology. [8]
then provides data for movement of the aircraft
control surfaces through these cables. Its benefits
include immunity to EMI and HIRF, large data
II. COMPARISION BETWEEN FLY-BY-LIGHT
bandwidth, light weight which require less SYSTEM AND FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEM
maintenance, more resistant to electromagnetic
impulses than conventional FBW systems. FBL FBW system works on a digital data bus for the
technology does not employ wires and is naturally transmission of mechanical movements from pilot’s
resistant to electromagnetic interference, providing joystick to the mechanical actuators located near the
the same flight control capabilities as fly-by-wire control surface in the form of electronic signals
systems without the necessity for shielding. using suitable transducers. It eliminates
considerable number of components of mechanical
system like control rods, push pull system, to reduce
the weight. This weight elimination is used to
increase the redundancy level of FBW. It reduces
the weight approximately 10% that of a copper
wire. The concept of FBL uses optic fiber cables for isnot only too difficult but also unreliable to use.
the transmission of mechanical movements from That led to a dilemma which has proven difficult to
pilot’s joystick to the mechanical actuators near the break. Fiber optics has been flown on aircraft
control surface in the form of monochromatic light before; but, because of the difficulty of working
signals using suitable transducers. It eliminates the with it, and the unreliability of early systems, the
amplification units, filter circuits, modulator units users usually disconnected it in disgust. Similarly,
etc, which have high redundancy levels in the FBW. the developers of advanced vehicle management
FBL control system is not only reliable but also less systems and advanced avionics have had difficulty
degradations of signal through optic fiber cable. The getting their systems on aircraft because aircraft
loss of the optical fiber is 0.3dB/km where it is appear to get along now without the advanced
5dB/km for copper wire. FBL is more reliable and systems (despite needs for future reduced costs and
redundancy is higher than FBW. Since the system improved performance), and nobody wants to deal
has high reliability the maintenance cost is lesser. with the difficulties of the fiber optics interconnects
III. FLASH PROGRAM that will come with such systems. That is the reason
For almost 20 years NASA, DoD (Dept. of Defense, for which the Fly-by-Light Advanced System
USA), the major aircraft engine and airframe Hardware (FLASH) program required to be
suppliers and their lower level suppliers have been lunched.
investigating the potential for improving aircraft by
the introduction of optic and fiber optic IV. CONSLUSION
technologies. Hence improvement of FBL is With development of aircraft flight control system
required. The program that is undertaken to improve engineering aircraft control system reliability is
the FBL system is known as FLASH (Fly-by-Light increasing. Boeing 787 and A380 are operating with
Advanced System Hardware) program. fully automated Fly-By-Wire control system. The
Fly-By-Light control system is still in the research
A. Requirement of FLASH Program phase is still in the research phase due to the
B. limitation in technological development and
To carry out different intensive activities it require standardization issues. As FBL offers numerous
high data rate of communication. That means the advantages over FBW system meets the flight
systems require a high bandwidth, interference-free control system. It has potential to align with the
physical medium. Fiber optics could meet that need. other high speed data transmission system
We now have small, powerful computers and combined with high capacity fight processor to
sensors which could be distributed around an implement control advancement and monitoring.
aircraft to form very powerful, reliable systems for This system will not just improve the reliability but
vehicle management and data processing. The also effective use artificial intelligence for self-
FLASH program istoo aimed at developing the low repairing and fulfilling other objective. There is
cost and reliable cables, connectors, splices, need to develop FBL system to commercially viable
backplanes, manufacturing and installation implementation on future commercial and military
methods, test methods, support equipment, and aircraft
training systems needed to form a true optical cable
plant not only for transport aircraft but also for V. REFRENCE
[1] L. Weaver, John K. Murdock “The aircraft optical cable plant program
tactical aircraft and helicopters. plan: the approach for the physical layer for fly-by-light control networks”,
Unfortunately, the present condition of the art in McDonnell Douglas Aerospace McDonnell Douglas Corp. P.O. Box 516 St.
Louis, Mo. 63166
fiber optic technology produces hardware which
[2] Jack Corrigan, Jack Jones, “FLY-BY-LIGHT FLIGHT CONTROL [6] Christopher Edwards,ThomasLombaerts, HafidSmaili, “Fault Tolerant
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES FOR TACTICAL MILITARY AIRCRAFT” Flight Control: A Benchmark Challenge”, Chap-1, subsection-1.2.2
Brad Shaw McDonnell Douglas Corporation, St. Louis Mo., 63166 [7] Aviation-research, http://mkeagy330.wikidot.com/blog:aviation-research
[3] Chris Fielding, “Advanced Techniques for Clearance of Flight Control Aviation-research, http://mkeagy330.wikidot.com/blog:aviation-research
Laws”, Chap-15, subsection-15.9.1
[4] Ajoy Kumar Kundu , Aircraft Design, Cambridge Aerospace Series. [8] Fly-By-Wire,URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly-by-wire
[5] James M. Urnes, Sr , “Application Of Neural Network Technology to Fly- [9] Fly-by-Wire, http://www.ausairpower.net/AADR-FBW-CCV.html
By-Light Control Systems”, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace
