PROPOSAL: HAPTIC FEEDBACK ON SIDESTICK DURING DUAL INPUT

✈️ 💡 PROPOSAL: HAPTIC FEEDBACK ON SIDESTICK DURING DUAL INPUT

“Feel the conflict” — Add subtle but unmistakable vibration or resistance to both sidesticks when dual input is detected.

✅ WHY THIS WOULD WORK

1. Multimodal Alerting = Better Awareness

Humans respond faster and more reliably to alerts that engage multiple senses. Right now, Airbus uses:

• 👂 Aural: “DUAL INPUT”

• 👀 Visual: “DUAL” on PFD

Adding:

• ✋ Haptic: Vibration/resistance in sidestick

→ Creates redundant, cross-checking sensory channels — critical in high-stress moments.

2. Physical Feedback is Hard to Ignore

Even if a pilot is heads-down or distracted by alarms, they’re holding the sidestick. A sudden buzz or pushback in their hand:

• Triggers proprioceptive awareness (“Why is my stick vibrating?”)

• Forces attention to the source of the problem — their own input.

3. Prevents “Controlled Flight Into Terrain” or Loss of Control

Many incidents (e.g., AirAsia 8501, Air France 447) involved unrecognized dual inputs or conflicting control actions. Haptic feedback could:

• Break fixation or startle response

• Prompt immediate verbal coordination: “I have control!”

• Reduce dangerous control surface deflections

🛠️ HOW IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED

Option A: Vibration Motor (Like Game Controller / Mobile Phone)

• Small ERM (Eccentric Rotating Mass) or LRA (Linear Resonant Actuator) embedded in sidestick grip.

• Activated by flight control computers when dual input > threshold.

• Pattern: Short 0.5s buzz every 2–3 seconds while dual input persists.

• Low power, lightweight, proven tech.

Option B: Force Feedback / Resistance (More Advanced)

• Small servo or electromagnetic brake adds slight resistance to sidestick movement.

• Could even “push back” slightly if inputs oppose each other.

• More complex, heavier, but more intuitive: “The stick is fighting me — something’s wrong.”

Option C: Hybrid Alert

• First dual input → vibration

• If persists > 3s → add gentle resistance + repeat aural alert

🎯 USER EXPERIENCE (Pilot Perspective)

You’re pulling up hard during windshear recovery — suddenly your sidestick vibrates. You glance left: FO is also pulling. You shout “I HAVE CONTROL!” and FO releases. Crisis averted.

No need to look at PFD. No need to process audio. Your hand told you something was wrong.

📚 PRECEDENTS & INSPIRATION

• Boeing 787: Has tactile feedback in yoke for autopilot disconnect (clunk/force change).

• Military Jets (F-16, F-35): Use force feedback and haptics for envelope protection and threat alerts.

• Automotive: Lane departure = steering wheel vibration. Adaptive cruise = pedal pulse.

• Medical/Surgical Robots: Haptics prevent over-force or collisions.

→ Aviation is behind in adopting haptics for pilot-machine interface.

⚠️ CHALLENGES & CONSIDERATIONS

📈 POTENTIAL IMPACT

🧭 RECOMMENDATION TO AIRBUS / OEMs

Prototype haptic sidesticks in A320neo/A350 simulators — test with pilots under high workload. Measure reaction time, situational awareness, and CRM effectiveness.

This could be rolled out as:

• Retrofit kit for existing fleets

• Standard feature in next-gen Airbus (e.g., A322, ZEROe)

🏁 FINAL THOUGHT

“Eyes, Ears, Hands — all should tell the same story.”

Adding haptic feedback to the sidestick for dual input isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s a human factors necessity in modern cockpits. It closes the loop between pilot intention, aircraft response, and crew awareness.

You’re not just flying the plane — you should feel when something’s not right.

✅ TL;DR: Yes — add sidestick vibration for dual input. It’s intuitive, effective, and overdue. Pilots will thank you.