Yaw Damper

Question 1

What does a yaw damper do

Answer 1

Automatically creates rudder inputs which oppose any yaw deviation before Dutch roll sets in

Also provides gust damping

Question 2

How many yaw dampers does a aircraft have

Answer 2

Usually 2 = one as a standby

Some have a 3rd

Question 3

How are the disturbances for yaw sensed for a yaw damper

Answer 3

By yaw rate gyro

Or IRS

Or accelerometers in the nose

Question 4

How does a yaw damper system convert the disturbances into an actual action

Answer 4

Disturbance is converted to an electrical signal and is amplified

The signal is then sent to the rudder control system (PCU) which applies hydraulic pressure and moves the rudder to oppose the yaw

Question 5

What is a parallel yaw damper system

Answer 5

Old type

The yaw damper inputs physically move the rudder as well as the rudder

Shows system is working but increases rudder pedal loads

Question 6

What is a series yaw damper

Answer 6

Found in modern a/c

Yaw damper has a separate yaw damper channel working independently of rudder channel

Moves rudder but not the rudder pedals = totally independent of the rudder system