I heard that for Boeing and Airbus aircraft, the pilot's and copilot's brake pedals are mechanically linked, is that true?
Why did they make that design decision? What's the advantage? Do all kinds of passenger aircraft have the same design?
I heard that for Boeing and Airbus aircraft, the pilot's and copilot's brake pedals are mechanically linked, is that true?
Why did they make that design decision? What's the advantage? Do all kinds of passenger aircraft have the same design?
It is cost effective for one. With an unlinked system, you now need to resolve disagreement between inputs some other way. Software has its own challenges. It's also instant, non-verbal communication between captain and first officer. A pedal moves and the other's pedal has already moved. No confusion or pilot effort to communicate it.
Yes they are always mechanically linked. It is the best way of having two persons operate one device, since both can feel what is happening without having to look at what the other is doing - they cannot see each others' feet anyway.
The force sensors in our body are quite accurate and can intuitively interpret if someone is helping or opposing in actuating the task at hand, because this is how things work in nature and that is what our bodies are built for. In nature, an item moves as a result of the sum of all forces. So best to build a set of brake callipers such that it is deflected as a result of the sum of forces of the two pilots, in such a way that each can feel what the other is doing.
Mechanically link the captain and F/O brake pedals and: