Real A-10C paddle switch

[miguelaco]

Looking at this photo you can clearly see some kind of yellow painted paddle switch in the stick. Question is, what is this thingy used for in the real plane?

 

[hog_driver111th]

I could be completely wrong here, but that looks like a guard, seeing as how the side panel and ejection seat are out. They might have put that on there for maintenance, but Paulrkiii and a few others that work on the Warthog would be better to answer this one.

[Kenan]

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out!

It's where they keep TrackIR when they're not using it.

[sofie_59]

As stated in this tread post #7 It is an emergency disconnect switch

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=62077

[Snoopy]

As stated in this tread post #7 It is an emergency disconnect switch

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=62077

 

That's correct, it's the SAS Emergency Disconnect.

 

From the A-10C Flash

 

"An emergency disconnect switch disengages all SAS operation when momentarily operated. The switch automatically turns off both pitch and yaw SAS engage switches when depressed. The aircraft can be safely flown throughout its flight envelope with the SAS disengaged. In addition, SAS provides aircraft rate, AoA, and control surface servo position signals to the Head Up Display (HUD) Low Altitude Safety and Targeting Enhancement (LASTE) system."

[miguelaco]

Thank you all. Very informative.

[E61-v1T1]

That's correct, it's the SAS Emergency Disconnect.

 

From the A-10C Flash

 

"An emergency disconnect switch disengages all SAS operation when momentarily operated. The switch automatically turns off both pitch and yaw SAS engage switches when depressed. The aircraft can be safely flown throughout its flight envelope with the SAS disengaged. In addition, SAS provides aircraft rate, AoA, and control surface servo position signals to the Head Up Display (HUD) Low Altitude Safety and Targeting Enhancement (LASTE) system."

 

Very interesting information. If it is not annoying Paulrkiii, I have the curiosity to know, about what kind of situation would be useful to disable the SAS?

 

Thanks

[Snoopy]

Very interesting information. If it is not annoying Paulrkiii, I have the curiosity to know, about what kind of situation would be useful to disable the SAS?

 

Thanks

 

Honestly I don't know but I will be sure to ask one of our pilots...

[LeLv30_Superbus]

Something else in the picture caught my eye. Look at the gun trigger. Then look at your HOTAS Warthog from the same angle.

[E61-v1T1]

Honestly I don't know but I will be sure to ask one of our pilots...

 

Thank you very much for your effort, waiting for news

 

:thumbup:

[Kaiza]

Very interesting information. If it is not annoying Paulrkiii, I have the curiosity to know, about what kind of situation would be useful to disable the SAS?

 

Thanks

 

My guess: as you will find with all aircraft with a some form of autopilot, there is a requirement for a disconnect in case the system fails. Even though it is dual channel, things can go bad. Imagine engaging PAC, letting go of the trigger, but it remains engaged, or half way through a turn the SAS faults and engages full rudder for your turn coordination. There always needs to be a quick disconnect ready at hand for safety, as things will go very bad, very quickly.

[BlueRidgeDx]

...what kind of situation would be useful to disable the SAS?

 

There are several situations when you would want to turn off various portions of the SAS system. Here they are in a rough probability of occurrence order:

 

1) Uncommanded roll or yaw.

 

Self-explanatory, I suppose. If the system is making control inputs that are causing control difficulties, you'd want to turn the SAS off immediately.

 

2) Hydraulic failure.

 

The loss of left/right hydraulic pressure will result in the respective (left/right) actuators for the elevator and rudder becoming inoperative.

 

With the actuators inoperative, there's nothing for that SAS channel to act upon. As the differential between channels grows, a "comparison monitor" will cause the failed pitch and yaw channels to automatically disengage.

 

Single channel Pitch SAS is not authorized, so you would disengage the remaining channel.

 

Single channel Yaw SAS is at pilot's discretion, so you could leave the remaining channel engaged if you wanted to retain limited yaw damping and turn coordination.

 

3) Engine failure.

 

Same as above, really. In this case, the hydraulic failure is precipitated by an engine failure.

 

Typically, since engine failures are usually attention getting events (as opposed to a slow, insideous hydraulic failure) you wouldn't wait for the comparison monitor to turn the system off, you would "paddle off" the SAS using the emergency disconnect lever, then simply reengage the operative yaw channel if desired.

[E61-v1T1]

Ok, Thanks for your answers, I take as a priority that can be useful in case of failure.

[funcionando]

Very interesting indeed.

Thanks Blueridgebx