[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 68 (Thursday, May 23, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E892-E893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           30TH ANNIVERSARY OF DIGITAL FLY-BY-WIRE TECHNOLOGY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 22, 2002

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 30th 
anniversary of the first test flight utilizing digital fly-by-wire 
flight control systems at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, located 
on Edwards Air Force Base in my district.
  On May 25, 1972, Dryden's F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire (DFBW) aircraft, 
piloted by Gary Krier (now Dryden's Director of Flight Operations), 
successfully tested the technology that is now used on space shuttles 
and military and commercial aircraft.
  Digital systems revolutionized the way aircraft were designed, built, 
and flown. These systems made planes safer, less vulnerable to damage 
from enemy weapons, more maneuverable, and more stable than the former 
hydraulic systems. In addition, digital systems provide a smoother ride 
than a hydraulic system--an important application for commercial 
airliners. Previously pilots controlled aircraft manually, manipulating 
control sticks linked to cables and rods that moved surfaces on the 
wings and tails.

[[Page E893]]

  The flight testing done at Dryden 30 years ago allowed the engineers 
of today to develop and fly unconventional plane designs like the B-2 
Stealth bomber, and paved the way for the air superiority that America 
enjoys today--an invaluable asset in the war on terror.
  I commend all those who worked on this program and thank them for 
their dedication. I am confident that the work performed at Dryden 
today will revolutionize the skies of tomorrow and keep the United 
States as the world's preeminent aerospace leader.

                          ____________________