Από το flight manual του Growler:
Spoilers. The spoilers are mounted on top of the fuselage near the aft end of the LEX. The
spoilers are controlled by the FCCs and have two fixed positions: 0° (down) or 60° TEU. The 60° TEU
position is activated by the speedbrake function or when more than 15° TED stabilator is commanded
(forward stick) above 22° AOA to aid in recovery from high AOA.
από ό,τι έχω διαβάσει μέχρι τώρα κατάλαβα ότι το αεροσκάφος έχει σχεδιαστεί να έχει λειτουργία που προσομοιάζει το αερόφρενο, χρησιμοποιώντας τα spoiler στα LEX, τα aileron και τα flap
The Virtual Speedbrake
The next handling demonstration involved involved the speedbrake and some high alpha low speed handling, an area in which many fighters experience problems in maintaining direction and avoiding a departure into uncontrolled flight.
The first demonstration involved the virtual speedbrake effectiveness and handling in this configuration. The F/A-18A-D, like the F-15 series, employs an upper fuselage hydraulically deployed speedbrake. The Super Hornet has no such device, yet achieves the same effect through what can only be described as digital magic. The speedbrake function is produced by a balanced deployment of opposing flight control surfaces, generating drag without loss of flight control authority or change in aircraft pitch attitude.
Dave demonstrated the speedbrake function, and I was asked to observe over the shoulder and in the mirrors the raised ailerons, lowered trailing flaps, raised spoilers and splayed out rudders. Deceleration is smooth and there is no observable pitch change.
At Mach 0.63 Dave invited me to fly another 360 aileron roll, to observe that the aircraft retains considerable control authority despite the fact that the rudders are splayed out, and the ailerons, spoilers and flaps are generating balanced opposing pitching moments. I applied roughly 1/2 stick input and the aircraft very cleanly rolled through 360 degrees at about 90 degrees/sec roll rate. I commented on the lower roll rate and Dave observed that we were significantly slower, he then proceeded to demonstrate the roll again with a full stick input, producing around 180 degrees/sec with a slight overshoot on recovery. The aircraft feels very stable throughout the manoeuvre and there is no observable change in control forces or control input response by the FCS.