Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna 850 Citation Columbus
Cessna is adopting “hybrid” fly-by-wire technology to actuate the flight controls on the Citation Columbus, formerly known as the Large Cabin Concept jet.

Cessna is adopting “hybrid” fly-by-wire technology to actuate the flight controls on the Citation Columbus, formerly known as the Large Cabin Concept jet. This is Cessna’s first use of fly-by-wire flight controls in a Citation design, and the system combines electronic and mechanical control of flight control actuators.

The Columbus’ ailerons, elevators and rudder are moved with hydraulic actuators, which are controlled via both the fly-by-wire system and mechanical control cables. The ailerons and elevators are each split into two control surfaces, with the hydraulic actuators on the inboard sections of each flight control hooked to the fly-by-wire system and the outboard sections’ actuators hooked to cables attached to the pilots’ yokes.