Full Authority Digital Electronic Controller for Control of an Aero Engine (FADEC)

Modern day aero-engines intended for military aircraft applications are invariably configured with a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system. The FADEC takes the input in terms of the thrust demand based on the current state of the engine and the flight conditions, controls the engine so as not to exceed any of the limiting parameters of the engine while at the same time providing the best response. In case of a fault condition the controlling channel switches to the second lane configuration. FADEC being a safety critical system, adequate redundancy is configured into the system to provide the necessary reliability and availability. In a single engine application, since in-flight shut down of the engine is not an option, the configuration needs to have additional specific features to ensure the availability.