fly-by-light
n.— «Traditional aeroplane controls still maintain a mechanical linkage directly from the pilot’s hands and feet to the the various surfaces used to manoeuvre the aircraft in flight. As larger aircraft and power-assisted controls have developed, in many cases the direct link no longer exists—leading to so-called “fly-by-wire” control systems, nowadays commonplace. In turn, as aircraft wiring has become more complex, use is being made of fibre-optic cables to carry more information around the airframe, which is sometimes called “fly-by-light.”» —“Wireless links to be trialled in Gulfstream flight controls” The Register (United Kingdom) May 27, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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