Definition
An aircraft in which the pilot's control inputs are sent to a flight computer rather than directly to the control surfaces. The computer interprets the inputs, applies limits and protections, and commands the actuators that move the surfaces. The pilot flies the airplane through the computer, not around it.
Plain English
An airplane where moving the stick or yoke tells a computer what you want, and the computer moves the controls for you, keeping the airplane within safe limits.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of modern aircraft flight-control systems, cockpit automation, and system failure procedures.
Derivation
Computer comes from a Latin word meaning “to calculate.” In this term, it points to a system that calculates and adjusts control commands, not just a screen or desktop-style computer in the cockpit.
Why Pilots Care
Understanding the system's modes, limits, and failure modes is essential for safe operation and for responding correctly to malfunctions.
Intuition Check
Do not assume computer-controlled means the aircraft flies itself with no pilot. It means computers process the control commands before the aircraft responds.
Example Sentence 1
On a computer-controlled aircraft, pulling the sidestick fully back will not exceed the aircraft's maximum angle of attack, because the flight computer enforces that limit.
Example Sentence 2
During preflight the crew verified that the computer-controlled aircraft was operating in normal law before takeoff.