Abstract: The rapid and precise control of an aircraft flight path is obtained by a continuous blending of direct lift and conventional longitudinal control system commands by a unit that consists of a combination of a linear gradient and breakout element, a blending integrator, a nonlinear element, a Direct Lift Limit element, an interconnect gain element, and three summing junctions. Direct lift is blended with conventional control as the pilot manual command is conditioned by the linear gradient and breakout element to provide the command signal to the first summing junction. The difference between this command and the output of the blending integrator is applied to the recentering nonlinear element. The direct lift command is obtained by passing the output of the recentering nonlinear element through the direct lift limit element. The second summing junction is used to reform the total system command which is applied to the third summing junction.