The F-16 was the first aircraft to use the "fly by wire" system, which does not translate the pilot's control- movements by cables and pulleys, but by electronic impulses. Between the flight stick and the control areas is the FLCS (flight control system) which translates the applied pressure to the stick and sends the corresponding electric impulses to electric motors, that move the control areas. The FLCS also controls the amount of movement to be sent to the controls, in order to avoid to hard actions or wrong movements. Of the pilot, which might get the airplane into a critical position. Using the manual pitch override panel of these corrections of the FLCS can be overrided by the pilot.

The F-16 was also the first aircraft that had the flightstick at the right side instead between the pilot's legs. This allows easier controlling during high Gs and also keeps more free space to host important displays in front of the pilot.

The first F-16 models had the SSC (side stick controller) with no free movement at all, which made the pilot feel like trying to move a telegraph pole. Later some free movement was given to the SSC to avoid this feeling. Anyhow, if you think that now it is like moving a joystick with reduced movement, you are wrong! I had the chance to sit in an Air Forces F-16 simulator and thought that the stick was just cemented in. It really takes some force to move the stick. A F-16 pilot told me that the whole movement of the stick is just about 2 to 3 mm in each direction.

A big problem is that due to the poor feed-back of the SSC, the pilot can easily oversteer the plane, taking himself and (if there) the instructor to the maximum Gs. I made this experience myself. I just had my first flight in an aerobatic SP-91L and my instructor told me to fly a loop. In other airplanes I felt the force feed-back growing slowly when starting a loop, but this time I did not feel anything at all. Then things happened very fast. My instructor started to puff, I started to puff also and the G-meter showed 8G! So far facts of the real flying ;-)).

Together with the TQS (=Throttle quadrant system) the HOTAS system (Hands on Throttle and Stick) is conformed. This system allows the pilot to handle his plane during critical fight conditions, without taking the hands away from throttle and flight stick.

	The Side Stick Controller with his functions
	Pictures from the Side Stick Controller

Side Stick Controller

The Expand/FOV (Field of View) switch is used to select expanded or alternate fields of view for the SOI. Repeated depression of the Expand/FOV switch steps through the available options in the rotary. The options are as follows:

SSC

Note:
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