What is a flight control law and its purpose in the 787?

What is a flight control law and its purpose in the 787?

• A. The software logic that governs how flight controls respond to pilot inputs to maintain stability and safety.
• B. A physical linkage arrangement of control surfaces.
• C. A maintenance checklist for the flight control system.
• D. A pilot's manual describing control forces.

Answer: (A)

Flight control law is the software logic inside the 787’s fly-by-wire system that determines how flight controls respond to pilot inputs. Its purpose is to translate stick and rudder commands into surface movements while keeping the aircraft stable and safe. The law not only drives the control surfaces but also imposes protections and limits—such as preventing excessive bank, limiting angle of attack, and tying commands to safe speeds—so the airplane behaves predictably across the flight envelope. If faults occur, the system can shift to degraded modes with reduced protections, but the core idea remains: the flight control law governs how pilot inputs become control actions to maintain safe, stable handling. The other options describe physical linkages, maintenance checklists, or pilot manuals, which are not what the flight control law is.

Flight control law is the software logic inside the 787’s fly-by-wire system that determines how flight controls respond to pilot inputs. Its purpose is to translate stick and rudder commands into surface movements while keeping the aircraft stable and safe. The law not only drives the control surfaces but also imposes protections and limits—such as preventing excessive bank, limiting angle of attack, and tying commands to safe speeds—so the airplane behaves predictably across the flight envelope. If faults occur, the system can shift to degraded modes with reduced protections, but the core idea remains: the flight control law governs how pilot inputs become control actions to maintain safe, stable handling. The other options describe physical linkages, maintenance checklists, or pilot manuals, which are not what the flight control law is.