SQ A380 001.avi
Why Aviation Stack Exchange recommends it
Aviation Stack Exchange answerers and commenters link it as a real-world visual of the A380's gust alleviation system, with individual ailerons moving to counter turbulence and manage wing loads.
Recommended by 0 people across 0 different months, 2014 to 2023.
What it is
A short 2010 phone-style clip filmed from a passenger window during takeoff from Hong Kong on Singapore Airlines flight SQ 861, an Airbus A380. It shows the wing's ailerons moving independently and continuously in flight, the effect Airbus calls the 'valse des ailerons'.
What people said
Cites DeltaLima · 2014-07 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “What's the minimum roll rate a commercial airliner would have with maximum aileron deflection?”
Well explained. Did you know that the A380 dynamically controls all individual ailerons to achieve roll control and minimize wing loading at the same time? The system is nicknamed VDS ' valse des ailerons [this video] ' (waltz of the ailerons) by Airbus. The rudder does the same (VDR).
Cites DeltaLima · 2014-12 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “What is a gust alleviation system?”
A gust alleviation system is a control system fitted to some Fly-by-wire (FBW) aircraft that reduces the effect of gust loads on the aircraft by deflecting control surfaces such as ailerons, rudder and elevators. The system works by measuring the upward acceleration of the aircraft and comparing that with the acceleration commanded by the (auto)pilot. A feedback loop adds a correction signal to the signals controlling the deflection of the control surfaces in order to counteract the accelerations cause by wind gusts. In its simplest form the accelerations are sensed near the center of gravity of the aircraft. More advanced implementations work with multiple sensors in the body and in the win
Cites RedGrittyBrick · 2015-08 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “What are some ways to decrease turbulence?”
See also "Valse des Ailerons" [LINK] - Airbus descriptions give purpose as "turbulence alleviation". Video [this video] . This may not be the kind of (more severe?) turbulence intended in the question. Skybrary [LINK]
Cites Jonas G. Drange · 2016-11 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “What happens if the gust alleviation system on an A380 fails?”
In an answer [LINK] , a user linked to this [this video] video of the gust alleviation system (GAS) on an A380. This seems like a complex system with many moving parts—all the ailerons move completely independently. What happens if the GAS fail, if for instance two ailerons get stuck in an extreme position? Or maybe even worse: imagine a sensor failure that produces two opposite extremes on each wing, such that e.g. the left wing have all its ailerons in the up position, and the right wing ailerons in the down position. Could this be fatal? Are there procedures for this in some checklist? This is a follow-up for my other question, What is a gust alleviation system? [LINK] . This is not question W
Cites DeltaLima · 2023-09 · Aviation Stack Exchange · on “Do airliners respond to mild turbulence in real time?”
I suspect you were flying on an aircraft with a gust/load alleviation system such as the Boeing 787, Airbus A350 or A380. In these aircraft, accelerations due to turbulence are measured in the wing and immediately counteracted by deflecting the control surfaces. This works independently from the autopilot. It sometimes gives the impression that the controls are somewhat randomly fluttering in the wind. From this answer [LINK] : A gust alleviation system is a control system fitted to some Fly-by-wire (FBW) aircraft that reduces the effect of gust loads on the aircraft by deflecting control surfaces such as ailerons, rudder and elevators. The system works by measuring the upward acceleration o