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Though almost the whole Airbus 3XX family uses fly-by-wire technology, it also has mechanical link/manual backup for the rudder/elevator trim as explained here.

On the military though, my understanding is that the F-16 is fully fly-by-wire (no mechanical backup).

Are there any other aircraft on the civil aviation that are full fly-by-wire?(no mechanical backup)

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    $\begingroup$ If you mean airplane, then say it. Aircraft includes UAV, which is FBW by nature. $\endgroup$
    – user3528438
    Commented Jul 11 at 2:47
  • $\begingroup$ FBW implies flight computers determine which surfaces are used and at which amplitude, from pilot orders, offering. a flight envelope protection. "Not FBW" just means the pilot orders are not interpreted and there is no protection, but orders can be sent to the surfaces using wires. On A320, THS mechanical linkage is a backup, in addition of THS FBW. Note the THS trim wheel spins by itself when FBW is active, because of the mechanical linkage feedback of FBW actions.So your question is about dropping the existing mechanical backup, the FBW feature is already in place. $\endgroup$
    – mins
    Commented Jul 11 at 9:03
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    $\begingroup$ @mins Disagree, as does aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/89151/…. FBW removes the mechanical interface to flight surfaces and instead sends signals to control surface actuators over electronic wires. This enables envelope protection and other computed actions. Having a mechanical backup to a mechanical primary makes no sense outside military applications that expect damage. $\endgroup$
    – Pilothead
    Commented Jul 11 at 19:24
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    $\begingroup$ @user3528438 and @ mins I have updated the title. $\endgroup$
    – Gabe
    Commented Jul 11 at 20:33
  • $\begingroup$ @Pilothead: "FBW removes the mechanical interface to flight surfaces and instead sends signals to control surface actuators over electronic wires": I don't understand what you mean. It seems clear from this schematics FWB computers (ELAC and SEC) control the THS actuators via electronic signals, and at the same time there is a direct mechanical linkage between the THS and the trim wheel (same for the rudder, FAC vs. pedals). $\endgroup$
    – mins
    Commented Jul 11 at 22:58

3 Answers 3

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Airbus

While the Airbus A320, A330 and A340 still have fly-by-wire with some mechanical backup, the Airbus A380 and A350 removed these. They are full fly-by-wire using electrical backup for hydraulically controlled surfaces:

The A380 introduces the following major evolutions:

  • Suppression of all mechanical backup controls. These are replaced by electrical backup controls.
  • Addition of a new pitch trim switch, that replaces the trim wheels due to the deletion of the mechanical pitch trim control. [...]
  • Introduction of Electro-Hydrostatic Actuators (EHAs) and Electrical Backup Hydraulic Actuators (EBHAs) in order to delete one hydraulic circuit.

(Airbus A380 - Flight Deck and Systems Briefing for Pilots - 8 Flight Controls - 1 General)

The A350 flight controls system benefits from evolutions introduced on the A380: [...]

  • Replacement of all mechanical backup controls by electrical backup controls
  • Addition of a new pitch trim switch which replaces the trim wheels

(Airbus A350-900 Flight Deck and Systems Briefing for Pilots - 12 Flight Controls - 1 General)

Boeing

Boeing also removed the mechanical backup found in the 777 fly-by-wire system (see Why does one of the Boeing 777's spoilers deploy differently from the rest?) on the 787, which uses electromechanical actuators (EMAs) instead:

For example, EMAs are used for landing gear braking, mid spoiler surfaces, and trimmable horizontal stabilizer on Boeing 787.

(A review of electromechanical actuators for More/All Electric aircraft systems)

787 Fly-by-Wire Flight Controls

All Surfaces Fly-By-Wire

  • Eliminates cables [...]

(787 Systems and Performance)

Bombardier

Bombardier designed the C Series (now called Airbus A220) without mechanical backup as well:

There is no mechanical connection between the flight deck flight controls (sidestick controllers (SSC) and rudder pedals) and the aircraft control surfaces (ailerons, elevators and rudder). The FBW system transmits commands to the hydraulic actuators to move their associated flight control surfaces.

(Bombardier CS300 / Airbus A220-300 FCOM Vol. 1 - Flight Controls - Fly-By-Wire System)

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  • $\begingroup$ The mechanical rudder backup was actually removed on the A340-500 and -600, and spread to newer A330s and A320s. $\endgroup$
    – user71659
    Commented Jul 11 at 19:59
  • $\begingroup$ @user71659 Good point, but I think they still have a mechanical link to the THS, correct? $\endgroup$
    – Bianfable
    Commented Jul 11 at 21:17
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The Dassault Falcon 7X and later are completely fly by wire with no mechanical backups.

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The Gulfstream G650 (and beyond):
https://www.aerospacemanufacturinganddesign.com/news/parker-aerospace-flight-controls-11112/

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