Definition
A system in aircraft with hydraulically or electrically powered flight controls that produces resistance in the cockpit controls proportional to the aerodynamic loads acting on the control surfaces. Because the pilot is not directly moving the surfaces, this system simulates the control feedback the pilot would normally feel from air loads, giving the controls a natural, weighted response that varies with airspeed and control deflection.
Plain English
In aircraft where the controls are moved by hydraulics or motors instead of by the pilot's muscle power, the pilot can't feel how hard the air is pushing back on the control surfaces. Artificial feel is a system that adds that pushback into the cockpit controls on purpose, so flying feels normal instead of weightless and disconnected.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of hydraulically powered flight controls, large aircraft, and control-system design.
Derivation
"Artificial" comes from the Latin artificialis, meaning "made by skill" rather than naturally occurring. "Feel" here refers to the tactile feedback a pilot senses through the yoke, stick, or rudder pedals. The name is literal: the feedback is real to the pilot's hands, but it has been engineered into the system rather than coming directly from the air loads.
Why Pilots Care
Prevents over-control or loss of precision by allowing pilots to sense control surface loading without direct aerodynamic feedback.
Analogy
It is like power steering in a car that still gives the driver some road feel. The steering is assisted, but it is not allowed to feel completely loose or weightless.
Intuition Check
Artificial does not mean useless or pretend here. It means the aircraft system creates a realistic control resistance because the natural resistance is reduced or missing.
Example Sentence 1
The aircraft's artificial feel system increased control resistance as airspeed built up during the descent, helping the pilot avoid abrupt inputs.
Example Sentence 2
During preflight checks, the pilot verified that the artificial feel system was functioning by noting progressive stick force with deflection.