fly-by-wire
adjective
: of, relating to, being, or utilizing a flight-control system in which controls are operated electrically rather than mechanically
Examples of fly-by-wire in a Sentence
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Flight controls are handled by a redundant fly-by-wire system tied into a triple-redundant onboard flight computer that controls the stabilization systems.
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Joe Salas
july 23, New Atlas, 23 July 2025
Advanced fly-by-wire controls in cockpits make aircraft intuitive and safer to pilot.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 June 2025
When fly-by-wire airplanes were introduced, some pilots worried that a haywire computer might run away with things, HAL 9000–style.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2013
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Joe Salas
july 23, New Atlas, 23 July 2025
Advanced fly-by-wire controls in cockpits make aircraft intuitive and safer to pilot.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 June 2025
When fly-by-wire airplanes were introduced, some pilots worried that a haywire computer might run away with things, HAL 9000–style.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2013
Cite this Entry
“Fly-by-wire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fly-by-wire. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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