I had some extra time while performing an engine run on one of our jets in Iraq, so I ran a flight control self test just to weed out any problems and ensure that everything else was ready to go on the jet so we could return it to service for its next mission. Once I "warm up" the flight controls and engage the self test, the flight control computer has the control from there on and runs it through "steps". All I have to do from there on is monitor it for faults and advance it when needed. When the test is complete and everything works as advertised all you need to do (in a nut shell) is take the switch out of test on the test panel and make sure that the flight control movements agree with the side-stick commands.
