Restructurable controls for aircraft

Future a i r c r a f t wi th h igh ly s o p h i s t i c a t e d c o n t r o l s a r e l i k e l y t o have m u l t i p l e in te rdependen t f a i l u r e modes which w i l l be d i f f i c u l t f o r t h e p i l o t t o recognize. Such f a i l u r e s may l ead t o u n a n t i c i p a t e d sequences of e v e n t s from which t h e p i l o t cannot i n t u i t i v e l y recover . Advances i n t h e s t a te -o f the -a r t i n f a i l u r e d e t e c t i o n , f a i l u r e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , . and c o n t r o l system technology sugges t i t may be f e a s i b l e t o d e t e c t and i d e n t i f y p o t e n t i a l l y c a t a s t r o p h i c f a i l u r e s i n f l i g h t c o n t r o l s and t o r e s t r u c t u r e the c o n t r o l s i n r e a l t ime t o execu te a s a f e landing. Two a c c i d e n t s w i l l be reviewed, one i n which t h e p i l o t s u c c e s s f u l l y r e s t r u c t u r e d t h e c o n t r o l s and one i n which he d id n o t , but f o r which a s o l u t i o n e x i s t e d . The problem requirements and p o t e n t i a l t h e o r e t i c a l techniques which apply w i l l a l s o be d i scussed .