This course includes:

  • Over an hour of narrated explanations of fly by wire concepts.

  • Interactive multimedia adds depth, making the learning relatable and enjoyable.

  • Examples of both good and unintended fly-by-wire "features" in famous aircraft!

  • Access on mobile device, tablet, or computer

  • Includes accompanying eBook in PDF format, a $4.99 value.

  • Certificate of completion

Modern Aircraft Need Modern Control Systems

Most new aircraft use fly-by-wire control systems. Although an aircraft flight manual tells pilots "what" to do, the fly-by-wire control system is usually treated as a black box and not explained in an easily understood way. This short course addresses questions of "how it works" and "why it's designed that way", in a conversational style. 

Knowledge of fly-by-wire principles gives professional pilots an advantage to apply the flight manual procedures for their aircraft. These interactive course materials describe the fundamentals of aircraft fly-by-wire designs in an approachable way for professional pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and aspiring aerospace engineers. Although fly-by-wire flight control systems are designed by engineers, the system concepts can be explained without any math or complicated wiring diagrams.

This is not an engineering course and there will be no math! Rather than describe a particular aircraft’s design, it explains general concepts from a pilot's perspective.

Enroll in this course today and understand:

  • What are the problems/limitations with mechanical flight control systems?

  • Why are four computers better than one or two?

  • What the advantages of Fly-by-Wire flight controls?

  • What are the popular control laws for designers?

  • What sensors are needed, and why?

  • How do flight control designers mitigate risk?

Testimonials

Fantastic Primer for Any Pilot

Clint E.

This is a fantastic primer for any pilot transitioning into a fly by wire aircraft! The current training industry is still rooted legacy control systems and is missing the opportunity to provide the proper perspective on fly by wire to become a competent operator. Specifically the control law transition triggers and their associate behavior. Thank you for putting this course together and I will be strongly recommending it to my organization.

Making Complex Concepts Easy

Vitale B.

This is my third Daedalus course, and for sure I can say this: the Instructor Test Pilot David Kern has an excellent way of teaching, making complex concepts easy to understand and accessible to all. The courses have a very clear structure and excellent step by step learning approach. I fully recommend these amazing courses!

My hand flying has improved exponentially

Don C.

The content here is OUTSTANDING. The missing link... exactly what airmen need to avoid being an NTSB fatality. This is relevant to all, and the impact you are having here is also HUGE for NON Fly by Wire aircraft.

A Must!

Karlene Petitt

With years as an instructor, and having flown the A330, A350 and B777, this would have been an excellent guide to begin my fly by wire journey. I think anyone who is about to fly this technology for the first time should read this book.

Recent reviews

5 star rating

A Pilot-Friendly Guide to Fly-by-Wire

Mattia Di Biase

For the first time in aviation, there’s an easy and straightforward way to understand Fly-by-Wire and the concepts behind it. No complicated diagrams or over...

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For the first time in aviation, there’s an easy and straightforward way to understand Fly-by-Wire and the concepts behind it. No complicated diagrams or overly technical explanations just a clear, engaging conversation about how modern aircraft flight controls behave and why. This course is a must for everyone, from newly licensed pilots starting their careers to seasoned aviators with thousands of flying hours. David and the whole Daedalus team have truly nailed what modern aviation education should feel like: clear, relevant, and pilot-friendly. It completely changed the way I look at flight control systems.

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Get instant access to the course, satisfaction guaranteed. Certificate available upon completion.

Course curriculum

    1. Introduction

    2. Module 1: Intro, Objectives, and Overview

    3. Pre-Course Survey

    1. Fundamental Concepts

    1. Control Laws

    1. Aircraft Systems

    1. Risk Mitigation

    1. Conclusions

    2. Before you go...

About this course

  • $25.00
  • 9 lessons

Instructor(s)

Instructor Test Pilot David Kern

David Kern is a graduate of the US Air Force Test Pilot School, with experience planning and flying hundreds of flight test missions for civil aircraft certification and military projects. He is an Associate Fellow with the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and Member of the Society of Flight Test Engineers. In his USAF career, he was the USAF F-16 project test pilot for the Collier Trophy-winning Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS) and served as Instructor Test Pilot and Director of Operations at the USAF Test Pilot School, teaching all parts of the multi-engine and fighter curricula. In civil flight test, he served as a flight test pilot for the Aircraft Certification Service with the Federal Aviation Administration, and is currently a Flight Test Captain for a major airline. He holds a Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering and B.Sci. Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. He also holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with nine type ratings, is an active Certified Flight Instructor for instrument conditions, and has logged piloting time at the flight controls of over 80 different types of aircraft. His publications include "Flight Test Techniques for Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar", "Accelerated Development of Flight Tested Sensors and Systems", and “Introduction to Fly-by-Wire Flight Control Systems: The professional pilot’s guide to understanding modern aircraft controls.”

Single Enrollment

Immediate, on-demand, course enrollment. Certificate available upon completion.