What happens to stability in direct law conditions?

In direct law conditions, the aircraft operates with a direct relationship between the control inputs and the aircraft's control surfaces, such as ailerons, elevators, and rudders. This mode of operation significantly reduces stability compared to other modes, such as normal law.

In normal law, flight control laws provide various protections, enhancing the aircraft's stability and handling characteristics by automatically managing the control surfaces in response to the pilot's inputs. Conversely, in direct law, the protection mechanisms are bypassed, which means pilots must exert more control and awareness when maneuvering the aircraft. The loss of automated protections can lead to more dynamic and potentially reactive behavior of the aircraft, causing it to feel less stable and more sensitive to pilot inputs.

This change in the behavior of the aircraft under direct law conditions results in reduced stability, requiring heightened pilot proficiency to ensure safe handling during flight operations.