What is FLY BY WIRE?

[helrazor]

Sorry for the newbie question.

PH

[Wobbly Dave]

Fly By Wire - is usually applied to aircraft where the control surfaces are not directly linked to the joystick. Fly by wire was originally pioneered by Airbus industries. Inputs to the joystick and pedals tell a computer where the pilot wants to go, which in turn moves the control surfaces on the wings and tail.

In Volvo land we refer to the later engines that have the ME7 electronic throttle, as "Fly By Wire" - coz there is no throttle cable attached to the accelerator pedal - i.e. it is electronically linked.

[Wobbly Dave]

This is when it went wrong

http://www.airdisaster.com/investigations/af296/af296.shtml#ipsc

and a bit more on FBW

http://online-encyclopedia.info/encyclopedia/f/fl/fly_by_wire.html

[helrazor]

Ah, thats why I could not find a cable in engine compartment. Is there a way to change engine speed outside of the cockpit.

The fact that my rev is limited to 4000 rpms in the cockpit I would guess is also tied into the ME7 system. What year did this (EM7) start I'm wondering?

PH

[Wobbly Dave]

ME7 was introduced onto Volvo's after 1998

[volvotuning]

ME7 was introduced onto Volvo's after 2000.

Late 1998 is when they were introduced.

Adam.

[helrazor]

I quickly checked out those links, I will spent more time on them later today, thanks. I'm wondering what the general opinion is re: this sort of throttle control in VolvoLand. Do we like it or not? Are there other cars that use such systems? Can we relate any problems safety-wise to this system?
I don't think my 98 V70 was like this, I could be wrong about that, it was not a Turbo.

PH

[volvotuning]

Most manufacturers use fly-by-wire now. It's very good in my opinion from a diagnostics point of view. Of course it means there's more to go wrong potentially, but generally speaking it's much better, and is certainly better at protecting an engine from inexperienced meddlers and major faults.

Adam.

[Bakey]

hmmm i'm not so made up on the whole "fly by wire" throttle situation myself.... the girlfriend had a Corsa when the first of the new shape came out, which was fly by wire and suffered from terrible delay!! Not sure if it was just down to throttle possition sensors or what but it was like that from day one and never got any better with age. The garage was of the opinion there was nothing wrong with it all but I suppose thats vauxhall for you at the end of the day!!!

From there i've not had much more exp of FBW from other manufactures (volvo being one) so hopefully some of the other guys can fill us in here.

[Justin]

I personally think the whole newer engine of ME7 is much better, whether it has a throttle cable is only a small part of it, they are certainly faster than the older models.

[C70T5]

I personally think the whole newer engine of ME7 is much better, whether it has a throttle cable is only a small part of it, they are certainly faster than the older models.


They also have the advantage or VVTi, and normally about 50,000 less miles on the old clock, that's quite an advantage :sinner: