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
Recent Examples on the Web
The Jetson One is designed with fly-by-wire technology and joystick controls for intuitive flight, multiple engines for redundancy, and a ballistic parachute as a safety feature.
—
Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2025
Flight controls are handled by a redundant fly-by-wire system tied into a triple-redundant onboard flight computer that controls the stabilization systems.
—Joe Salas
july 23, New Atlas, 23 July 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2025
Flight controls are handled by a redundant fly-by-wire system tied into a triple-redundant onboard flight computer that controls the stabilization systems.
—Joe Salas
july 23, New Atlas, 23 July 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 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share