Mechanically linked active sidesticks

An active hand controller system comprising:

• first and second active control handles each moveable along a pitch axis (x) and a roll axis (y), each of the first and second handles including:
• sensor means for detecting movement of and force applied to the respective first and second active control handle along said pitch axis (x) and said roll axis (y) for generating a signal representative of said movement and force applied thereto;
• control electronics means for receiving said signal from said sensor means and for generating a control signal in response thereto representative of the movement and force applied to the respective first and second active control handle, the control electronics means of the respective first and second control handles being coupled to one another;
• and
• at least one servo motor connected to each of the pitch and roll axes of each of the first and second active control handles and to respective cable linkages connected to an aircraft flight control system, the servo motors being further connected to said control electronic means for moving said cable linkages in response to the control signal received from said control electronic means as a result of any one of the first and second active control handles being actuated by a user along at least one of said pitch axis (x) and said roll axis (y), the control signal being further communicated to the control electronics means of the first and second control handle unactuated by a user such that the servo motors of the unactuated first and second control handle cause movement of the unactuated control handle in concert with the control handle actuated by a user.