F-8 digital fly-by-wire project

The F-8 Digital-Fly-By-Wire (DFBW) project was an experimental digital fly-by-wire system developed by NASA at Armstrong Flight Research Center in the 1970s.[1] It was the first digital fly-by-wire fixed-wing aircraft without a mechanical backup.[2]

Based on a modified U.S. Navy Vought F-8C Crusader aircraft, it used a Apollo Guidance Computer as its control system.[3][4][5] The aircraft had the tail number NASA 802.[3]

The project was supported by Neil Armstrong, who advocated for the aircraft to be transferred to NASA.[3]

The system originally had an analog fly-by-wire backup, but this never needed to be used.[2][3]

The system's first completely digitally controlled flight was made on 25 May 1972, piloted by Gary E. Krier.[6]

The digital system was later upgraded to a triple-redundant digital system.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ "Where Are They Now: F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire - NASA". Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  2. ^ a b c "Fly-by-wire for combat aircraft", Flight International, p. 353, 23 August 1973, archived from the original on 21 November 2018
  3. ^ a b c d e "F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft" (PDF). www.nasa.gov. 2021.
  4. ^ Elliott, J. (October 1977). "NASA's advanced control law program for the F-8 digital fly-by-wire aircraft". IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control. 22 (5): 753–757. doi:10.1109/TAC.1977.1101608. ISSN 1558-2523.
  5. ^ Jarvis, C. R. (1975-02-01). "An overview of NASA's digital fly-by-wire technology development program" (PDF). Description and Flight Test Results of the NASA F-8 Digital Fly-by-Wire Control System.
  6. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20100216070159/https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/history/pastprojects/F8/index.html


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