Flight Characteristics

Flight By Wire

In 1993, the C17 Globemaster III became the first military aircraft to feature a complete Electronic Flight Control System, also known as Flight by Wire system. The FBW system utilizes force sensors on pitch, roll and yaw axes to provide pilot commands to four separate Flight Control Computers. These FCCs combine the commands and apply the output commands to the control surfaces (Elevators, Rudder and Ailerons). The fly-by-wire computers act to stabilize the aircraft and adjust the flying characteristics without the pilot's involvement (eg. aircraft holds the attitude), and to prevent the pilot from operating outside of the aircraft's safe performance envelope.

As a result of the FBW System, the aircraft will actively attempt to hold attitude and roll, as long as it is safe to do so (eg. aircraft is not at risk of stall) by automatically adjusting the trims and control surface input. In essence, the aircraft will follow and keep the pilot's commands.

FBW can be deactivated from the Flight Control System panel overhead. Deactivating FBW will therefore use the Mechanical backup system, and the aircraft will no longer hold attitude automatically

Tactical Descents

The C-17 Globemaster III can execute a rapid tactical descent from FL300 to FL50 in less than two minutes by utilizing reverse idle thrust, and in some cases, Spoilers and Flaps to increase drag and accelerate the descent rate, which can exceed 15,000 feet per minute. This aggressive maneuver, often employed in combat scenarios to avoid detection or threats, involves a steep descent angle and requires precise control by the flight crew to maintain safe airspeeds while shedding altitude quickly.

At this time, the reverse thrust cannot be engaged while inflight due to MSFS limitations, and therefore steep Tactical Descents are not possible yet. We are working on an alternative, bypass solution to implement in a future update.

Backside Flying

One of the unique aircraft characteristics of the C17 has to do with the way the Flaps interact with the engine thrust. The Externally Blown Flap concept for powered lift is based on extending the flaps into the engine exhaust to interact with and deflect the exhaust stream downward. This converts some of the engine thrust to lift directly, and results in a unique flight path and airspeed response during approach or high flap maneuvers. With powered lift, also known as Backside Flying, the thrust will control the flight path angle and Vertical Speed directly, while the pitch will control the airspeed. This also provides an exceptional landing performance, low approach speeds, and the capacity to fly steep approaches.