In the light of what happened to 558 on 28th June 2009, artificial feel failure you might be interested in this experience.
I was an AEO instructor on 230 OCU checking out an AEO on a routine flight. The crew was Captain, QFI, Nav Radar, Nav/Plotter, AEO and me. We were doing rollers (touch and go) at St Mawgan. As we rolled from the last one the QFI told the Capt to relieve the artificial feel using a button on his control stick. He did. As we got airbourne the QFI said to him put the nose down which he did forgetting that he had no feel. The QFI then said bring the nose up again he forgot he had no feel. The net result was the aircraft started to bunt. At which point the Captain was told in no uncertain terms to restart the feel which only he could do. Eventually (only a few seconds later) he did and the aircraft settled down to stable flight.
When this started I was standing between the AEO and Nav/Plotter, so I grabbed the nearest object to hang on. This was an angle poise lamp between the two. For approx 30 seconds I was flailed up and down against the rear table edge.
Once we had settled down to stable fligh we returned to base only to be met by the station medical officer who promptly whisked me off to sick bay. I had scraped my shins and was bleeding all over my shoes.
Yes the articial feel was vital to enable the pliots to fly the aircraft in a stable manner, but they had to experience flying without it
