Flight Controls Flashcards
What is the primary & secondary effects of aileron?
Primary - Roll
Secondary - Yaw (because tilted lift vector, the aircraft will want to slip in the direction of the roll, resulting in airflow impacting the fuselage and tailplane behind the COG, causing the aircraft to yaw towards the direction of roll)
What are the primary and secondary effects of rudder?
Primary - Yaw
Secondary - Roll (Because a yaw will cause the outer wing to travel through a greater distance, this wing will create more lift, resulting in a roll in the direction of the yaw)
What is the purpose of balancing the aircraft?
Balancing refers to the ease in which the aircraft controls can be manipulated resulting in a control input. Too much balancing results in too light controls. Under-balancing can result in stiff controls.
What are the 2 types of balancing?
Aerodynamic Balancing - Function of facilitating easy movement of the controls. This is achieved by reducing the distance between the COP and the hinge line of a control surface.
Mass Balancing - Reducing the distance between the COG and the hinge line.
What are the different ways aerodynamic balancing can be achieved?
Inset hinges
Balance Horne
Balance Tab
Anti-balance tab
How does an anti-balance tab work?
An anti-balance tab is meant to prevent overbalancing of the control surface. It deflects in the same direction as the control surface by mechanical linkage, to provide more stick force to the pilot.
This is more common on All-moving tailplanes, as their COP is relatively close to the hinge line.
How do balance tabs work?
Balance tabs are mechanically linked to the control column, so that they may deflect in the opposite direction as the control surface. This relieves stick force, similar to how a trim tab works.
What is the effect of power?
Increasing power will pitch the nose of the aircraft up due to the thrust and drag lines. It will also cause a yaw to the left, due to increased slipstream.
What is the effect of slipstream?
Increasing slipstream results in a left yaw due to it impacting the vertical stabiliser behind the COG. Slipstream improves control effectiveness of rudder and elevator but not aileron.
