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Do F-22 and F-35 use force sensing flight sticks (as opposed to flight sticks that actually deflect and sense movement), like F-16?

Microsoft Linux TM
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1 Answers1

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They move, pretty much like an F-16 stick.

From this MIT lecture "F-22 Flight Controls", Lt Col Randy Gordon, F-22 test pilot (from the transcript):

It's a side stick.

Initially it didn't move.

Eventually they decided, I'll put in some deflection.

So I can go a half inch left, a half inch right, about a quarter inch forward, I go about a half inch back because normally I really want to get the nose going this way.

There's some deflection to give you feedback that you've input something on the stick, but not so much deflection that it gets in the way of everything else you're trying to do.

Pondlife
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WPNSGuy
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  • Thank you for that edit. I was just about to do that. – WPNSGuy Apr 04 '21 at 23:03
  • AFAIK, the "didn't move" lesson was learned on early F-16. The F-22 stick was movable (but force-sensing) from the beginning. – Zeus Apr 06 '21 at 00:25
  • Yes. And I believe that is what he is referring to in the presentation. Of course, we'd have to ask him for specifics. – WPNSGuy Apr 06 '21 at 01:27