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In-flight upset - 154 km west of Learmonth, WA, 7 October 2008,

In-flight upset - 154 km west of Learmonth, WA, 7 October 2008,

In-flight upset - 154 km west of Learmonth, WA, 7 October 2008,

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Figure 4: Overview <strong>of</strong> a fly-by-wire <strong>flight</strong> control systemFigure 5: A330 <strong>flight</strong> control surfacesThe A330 EFCS had three <strong>flight</strong> control primary computers (FCPCs, commonlyknown as PRIMs) and two <strong>flight</strong> control secondary computers (FCSCs, commonlyknown as SECs). One <strong>of</strong> the FCPCs (normally FCPC 1) acted as the ‘master’FCPC. It computed the appropriate control orders, and sent these orders to the othercomputers to action. More detailed information regarding the functioning <strong>of</strong> theFCPCs is provided in section 2.1.Overall, the A330’s EFCS provided many advantages relative to a conventional<strong>flight</strong> control system, including stability augmentation, reduced crew workload, and<strong>flight</strong>-envelope protection.Flight control lawsThe master FCPC computed the control orders according to a ‘control law’, withdifferent functionality provided depending on the law being used. There were threelevels <strong>of</strong> control law, and each level provided different functionality as follows:• Normal law. The EFCS detected when the aircraft was approaching the limits <strong>of</strong>certain <strong>flight</strong> parameters, and commanded control surface movements to preventthe aircraft from exceeding these limits (that is, it prevented the aircraft from- 11 -

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