Wow, thanks for the replies guys!One more question:Most cars have Electronic Stability Control/Program. What this does is detect understeer/oversteer and brake individual wheels, and, in some cases, reroute power to bring the car under control. I know rerouting power isn't possible in airplanes since the wheels are unpowered.For example, if you want to turn left yet the car keeps sliding straight, the car can brake the inside---in this case, the left---wheels to force the car to turn.It's a little silly, but can airplanes make use of this? Let's say the same situation above happened to an airplane, could the left main gear be braked to bring the plane under control?Thanks again!

Well you would be doing this yourself since almost all airplanes have differential brakes.

Wow, thanks for the replies guys!One more question:Most cars have Electronic Stability Control/Program. What this does is detect understeer/oversteer and brake individual wheels, and, in some cases, reroute power to bring the car under control. I know rerouting power isn't possible in airplanes since the wheels are unpowered.For example, if you want to turn left yet the car keeps sliding straight, the car can brake the inside---in this case, the left---wheels to force the car to turn.It's a little silly, but can airplanes make use of this? Let's say the same situation above happened to an airplane, could the left main gear be braked to bring the plane under control?Thanks again!

Actually, I would like to compare ESP in a way to the systems that prevent excessive bank/pitch and stall in Airbus aircraft.

Let's say the same situation above happened to an airplane, could the left main gear be braked to bring the plane under control?

Again, aircraft is first and foremost a flying machine and aircraft manufacturers if they can think of any dangers lurking for an aircraft they first think about what can happen in the air so this is where their efforts concentrate. Aircraft accident/incident records support this point of view. For example if you could solve icing problems for good or prevent CFIT accidents - you would have made major contribution to flying safety.By the way - as pointed out above - airplanes already have (manual) differential braking so this option is available to a pilot.

It's winter, and I know that many cars will need ABS, Traction Control, Stability Control, etc.Do plane's have any of these types of systems? I know some airliners have an Anti-Skid switch, does this do anything?I'm just curious to know. :( Thanks!

Big stuff, for sure, little stuff, probably not, as more stuff = more weight = less performance. regards,Macs

Technically, the stability augmentation of modern airliners and other sophisticated aircraft does the same thing as stability control in cars. i.e you can point an Airbus in a specific direction with the stick and it will then maintain itself pointing in that direction with the aid of the fly-by-wire.This is is a situation where a less sophisticated aircraft would require you to correct the control surfaces and thrust settings in order to do that, as you would have to correct with steering and throttle in an older car without fancy gizmos.Al

Well you would be doing this yourself since almost all airplanes have differential brakes.

Including large Boeings and Airbuses and Bombardiers, etc.?Thanks for the replies guys!

Including large Boeings and Airbuses and Bombardiers, etc.?

Yes, small airplanes at your local flight school too.But as a "Boeing guy" you should really read up a bit on how 747 can make turns on the ground.

Yes, small airplanes at your local flight school too.But as a "Boeing guy" you should really read up a bit on how 747 can make turns on the ground.

Rear wheel steering!Something Airbus didn't think about on the A380 and they quickly tore the tires off of the wheels.

Anti-skid braking was an aircraft technology developed before WWII, and widely deployed in military aircraft and jetliners at least 20 years before it was dumbed down to fit a cost that allowed installation in cars. What is now in cars as stability assist is an upgrade of braking technology to make use of yaw sensors and differential braking, which were featured earlier in aircraft braking systems but too expensive for cars.Traction control is not relevant to a vehicle not driven by its wheels.These systems are not "needed" on cars for bad weather driving, but governments have become convinced that they partially compensate for incompetent driving. The insurance industry, which encouraged installation of the technology, has largely stopped allowing premium discounts for ABS et al because their loss experience has shown that, ABS at least, has not improved safety, probably because drivers have not learned how to use it to avoid an accident, while knowing that they have ABS gives a false confidence that encourages unsafe driving.

Here is something I just stumbled upon looking for something different but it relates to this thread.http://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab/u...-Loop%20Testing

These systems are not "needed" on cars for bad weather driving, but governments have become convinced that they partially compensate for incompetent driving. The insurance industry, which encouraged installation of the technology, has largely stopped allowing premium discounts for ABS et al because their loss experience has shown that, ABS at least, has not improved safety, probably because drivers have not learned how to use it to avoid an accident, while knowing that they have ABS gives a false confidence that encourages unsafe driving.

A large part of the problem is that driver education instructors are -for the most part- still teaching students to "pump the brakes" during wet/icy road conditions......which is precisely the wrong thing to do with a vehicle equipped with ABS, which requires constant, steady pressure on the brake pedal! :(

A large part of the problem is that driver education instructors are -for the most part- still teaching students to "pump the brakes" during wet/icy road conditions......which is precisely the wrong thing to do with a vehicle equipped with ABS, which requires constant, steady pressure on the brake pedal! :(

That's better than what they taught us in my driver's ed class in high school. We didn't even learn that part at all. :(