Questions tagged [flight-controls]
Use for cockpit controls (trim, yoke, etc). Use [control-surfaces] for the surfaces that actually move.
619
questions
8
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How do airplane balance tabs (or control tabs) change the force on the pilot's controls?
According to the PHAK ch. 6 and this description regarding Ameristar 9363, one type of tab on an elevator is supposed to "decrease the pressure the pilot needs to exert on the flight controls.&...
- 83
16
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What does the "MAX EMR PWR" lever do in a Quest Kodiak?
On a photo of the Quadrant of a Kodiak Quest 100 there was an additional red lever to the left of the throttle (black handle) labeled with "MAX EMR PWR". Can anyone explain what what this ...
- 724
2
votes
1
answer
405
views
When the F 16 landing the flaperons are used for rolling due to the functionality as ailerons, but after touching the ground it is the same?
In landing gains the flaperons are down 20 degrees. If you have to do corrections of the bank angle on approach then you move upward only one of the flaperons. But after touching the runaway it is ...
- 2,111
1
vote
1
answer
291
views
How do you quantify rudder effectiveness as a function of bank angle?
I'm currently reviewing just for fun aircraft dynamics based on OEI (one engine inoperative) scenarios. After reading that "lower pedal forces at higher bank angles" are required, it got me ...
5
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Can any helicopters use negative collective to descend rapidly?
On a helicopter, the collective is used to adjust the attack angle of all the main-rotor blades in the same direction by the same amount, causing the amount of lift generated to increase or decrease ...
- 28.3k
4
votes
1
answer
350
views
Does a B777 have a control priority button?
There have been accidents where one pilot gets confused, panics, inappropriately pulls or pushes the control column, and the other pilot does not manage to get control from them and the aircraft ...
- 56.3k
-1
votes
1
answer
557
views
Why doesn't the A-4 Skyhawk require rudder in coordinated turns like on other Century Series aircraft?
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a subsonic jet aircraft design from the early fifties.
Usually, in order to make a coordinate turn without skidding or slipping , the pilots of the other types of aircrafts ...
- 2,111
15
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Best way to correct for plane's natural tendency to turn left?
I am a new private pilot in training. I've only had about two hours of flight lessons so far, so I'm still quite new to this.
In a single engine, PA-28-181 Archer, I found that the plane has a natural ...
- 1,137
5
votes
3
answers
619
views
What is the purpose of attaching a flat plate to the rudder trailing edge?
These are photos of Tecnam P2006T rudder trailing edge. Why it has such flat plate mounted at the end of the rudder?
- 1,983
4
votes
1
answer
322
views
On a Gulfstream jet checklist, do you do the walkaround before or after disengaging the gust locks?
On a Gulfstream jet checklist, do you do the walkaround before or after disengaging the gust locks?
With small planes we generally remove the gust locks as we do the walk around, but with a larger jet ...
- 13.3k
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What is the meaning and origin of the phrase “dead band” in relation to flight controls?
A quote from the Boeing 737 NG FCTM:
With both hydraulic systems A and B inoperative, the ailerons and elevator are
controlled manually. A noticeable dead band will be observed in both of these
...
- 2,064
5
votes
1
answer
402
views
Why do helicopters not flip when using cyclic pitch control to move?
Let's say a helicopter wants to move forward. To do so, cyclic pitch is applied to the blades 90 degrees off which applies a torque on the blades to tilt the craft forward. Once the helicopter is ...
- 51
1
vote
1
answer
288
views
Does any USAF fighter jet use surfaces near the front for pitch control?
Some European fighters like Eurofighter use frontal surfaces for pitch control. Does any US fighter use this configuration? And what are these surfaces called?
5
votes
2
answers
919
views
What control inputs are required to perform a "turning-while-in-flight" maneuver in a helicopter?
My question is relatively simple and has to do with the required control inputs to perform a simple turning maneuver over a large area.
Suppose a helicopter is traveling in forward flight, straight ...
- 59
2
votes
5
answers
735
views
In theory, can jetliners remain controllable after losing the entire tail section?
The scenario here is a detachment of the tail,one with the whole empennage.
Could a variant of an existing model of swept winged jet airliner be made to remain controllable, using ailerons, ...
18
votes
3
answers
5k
views
How and why can multiple people control the Boeing B-29?
I am making a down-to-the-1/128th-inch (literally, to the 1/128th inch) model of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress in SketchUp. Starting from zero, I had to make the entire plane up, and to be honest it ...
- 1,167
7
votes
3
answers
843
views
Why do X-wing configurations missile/guide bombs use symmetric airfoils?
From all the missiles/guide bombs I have come across, I've always observed that a symmetric airfoil is used for both the wing and tail.
Why not have a cambered airfoil for the wing and a symmetric ...
- 91
1
vote
0
answers
126
views
Choosing $\phi/\beta$ in Lateral-directional control design
In designing the Lateral-directional controller for aircraft, there is a parameter called $\phi/\beta$ that is defined as the ratio of the magnitude of the bank angle to the sideslip envelopes in the ...
- 407
9
votes
3
answers
808
views
Why would an artificial horizon's roll axis be different on ground and in flight?
Sorry, if I'm a bit verbose here, but since I don't understand the problem, I have difficulties to describe it.
I created an artificial horizon using an Adafruit precision 9 DoF sensors and their AHRS ...
- 399
1
vote
2
answers
139
views
Light aircraft elevator/aileron/direction not working [closed]
What is the correct procedure if a light aircraft (under1000kg) elevator/aileron/direction stop working? Is it alright to use the ballistic parachute(if the aircraft is equipped with one)?
If not, ...
- 169
0
votes
1
answer
166
views
What does gravity compensation do in flight control?
In flight control designs for lateral directional movement, there is a block named "gravity compensation". This block changes yaw rate measurement from "$r$" to "$r-g/Vcos(\...
- 407
1
vote
2
answers
391
views
Where do flight sims get their data on aircraft flight characteristics?
Flight sims offer very realistic simulations of how a particular aircraft feels, claimed by pilot interviews on youtube.
But how do sims get their data?
First, does all this data even exist, i mean ...
- 433
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Are aircraft certified for inflight thrust reversal required to demonstrate controllability in an asymmetric-reverse-thrust scenario?
For most jetliners, the inflight use of reverse thrust is prohibited (and often physically impossible), due to the potential for loss of control in the event of an inflight reverser deployment (a ...
- 28.3k
11
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Why do the ailerons of this flying wing work oppositely compared to those of an airplane?
I made this simple wing glider and put some ailerons on it. I thought that the ailerons in this glider would work the same way it works on airplanes, wherein the roll will be in the direction of the ...
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How do tailless aircraft yaw? [duplicate]
I was doing research on control surfaces present on an aircraft and I noticed that some aircraft like the B2 Spirit does not have a vertical tail stabilizer and therefore no rudder either.
How do ...
2
votes
0
answers
262
views
Why aren't rudders automatic? [duplicate]
Why aren't rudder pedals automatic or connected with ailerons to keep the nose of the aircraft coordinated with the turn its entering? Wouldn't this make for an easier and smoother to operate aircraft?...
- 6,595
1
vote
1
answer
187
views
Does the routine flown by the Thunderbirds in the F-16 feature true sustained knife-edge flight?
Does any aerobatic routine flown by the USAF Thunderbirds in the F-16 feature true sustained knife-edge flight?
By "true sustained knife edge flight" we mean that the aircraft is maintaining ...
- 22.6k
3
votes
1
answer
538
views
Why is there a difference in the max spoilers extension between the A320 and A321 in a roll?
I was recently reading the Flight Controls chapter in the FCOM and I read that spoilers 2-5 extend a maximum of 35 degrees on the A320 however on the A321 spoilers 2,4 & 5 extend a max of 35 ...
- 1,492
2
votes
3
answers
313
views
E-2/C-2 left thumb control?
For some reason I ended up binge watching E-2s and C-2s doing shots and traps on YT. One thing caught my eye; especially during the approach, the pilot’s left thumb is in constant motion pressing a ...
- 1,526
1
vote
1
answer
249
views
Does a RC glider always loop when launched?
In the below video, the guy sets "launch mode" for hand launch where he adds a little bit of elevator.
Will a glider always loop up when launched horizontally, even if the tail is set to ...
user53913
3
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Can aileron differential eliminate adverse yaw?
Can aileron differential completely eliminate adverse yaw?
user53913
10
votes
2
answers
4k
views
How are the 737’s elevator and aileron cables attached to their control tabs without impeding the control surfaces’ motion under hydraulic power?
The 737 (all versions thereof) is one of the few jetliners still in production to have any manual-reversion capability for its flight controls in the event of the loss of all hydraulic systems. If ...
- 28.3k
1
vote
2
answers
341
views
Can Savannah be stalled with agressive yoke pull?
My friend fly ultra light Savannah, 2 seats plane,wings dont have slats ,it has vortex generators at leading edge.
He says that he cant stall plane with agressive yoke pull (I talk about speeds above ...
user53913
1
vote
0
answers
174
views
How do the A320 flight controls reconfiguration laws work?
Can someone explain in simple terms the reconfiguration laws? I have hard time understanding ELAC, SEC, FAC Priorities in FCTL Architecture Diagram.
- 61
0
votes
1
answer
544
views
Do pilots typically mix roll/yaw when piloting various planes? [duplicate]
When flying on GeoFS, a popular flight simulator online, one of the default settings is to mix roll and yaw. Of course, it isn't real life, so I think it might differ from flying in the real world.
Do ...
-2
votes
1
answer
269
views
Why does the pilot do this when taking off?
In the past (before the pandemic, of course), when riding commercial jets, I noticed that sometimes, the pilots would bank to port, then to starboard, and repeat that multiple times, while climbing ...
1
vote
2
answers
616
views
What are the primary and secondary flight controls for the SEPECAT Jaguar?
What lift augmentation devices are used in the SEPECAT Jaguar? I couldn't find any information.
- 81
2
votes
1
answer
205
views
Why don't airliners use light strips on physical controls (yoke/stick, throttle and trim) to indicate who has control - pilot or flight computer?
I've watched a lot of Air Disasters episodes about crashes where pilots thought auto-pilot, auto-throttle, auto-trim were "in control" but they weren't (or vice-versa) due to some innocuous ...
- 121
1
vote
2
answers
372
views
How do fighter jets stop pitching motion after a elevator deflection?
I'm working on a flight simulator , In which the jet has only ailerons , rudder , and two elvators at the back . When I nose up my aircraft via elevator deflection , it just keeps pitching up ( even ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
433
views
Is there an advantage to combining trim function with yoke?
SUMMARY: What if the yoke didn't require constant pressure, as is the case with the current "trim" function?
In all cases that I know of, airplanes have had the yoke (which you need to apply ...
6
votes
3
answers
753
views
Does the F-4 Phantom use (have) differential horizontal tail deflection?
Is differential horizontal tail deflection used to roll the aircraft around the longitudinal axis along with the ailerons / spoilers and a bit of rudder?
- 2,111
4
votes
2
answers
217
views
Writing Research: What stick sensation would you expect in an Su-15 with a total hydraulic flight system failure?
The title pretty much says it all. I have a very specific research question in relation to a writing project I'm working on.
The main character is in an Su-15 performing low flying military training, ...
- 41
13
votes
4
answers
3k
views
How is a plane with only ailerons and jet (no props) controlled?
I saw this video and was wondering how he is controlling the plane:
It looks like he only has ailerons. It does look like he is shifting his body weight. Is that the ...
- 241
28
votes
5
answers
8k
views
Can airliners land with auto pilot in gusty wind conditions?
Why does the pilot make so many movements? I don't see that plane is moving all that much, but his yoke movements are strong and fast.
For someone who is not a pilot, it almost looks like panicked ...
user52248
2
votes
0
answers
377
views
Boeing 747 Autopilot PID Controller
For a personal flight simulator project, I am creating my own custom Boeing 747 classic series. I have about 50% of the project complete at a level of detail nearly equivalent to study-level flight ...
0
votes
2
answers
126
views
What is the name of Control equipment? [closed]
I wanted to know the name of equipment that controls the control surfaces of an aircraft by taking commands from the pilot through it's hotas stick. The aircraft could be a combat 50's or 60's a/c, so ...
- 155
-1
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How to find the angle of attack?
I'm trying to calculate the angle of attack (AOA) using aircraft some data. From what I understand the AOA is just the angle between the aircraft's forward unit vector (out the nose vector) and the x-...
8
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Why does the Eurofighter Typhoon have a long arm canard versus the close coupled canard of the Dassault's Rafale or the JAS-39 Gripen?
The Rafale and the Gripen are quite similar but the Eurofighter Typhoon has the canards far forward. I've been told that this was due to the shape of the air intake.
Apparently the Typhoon's air ...
- 1,383
2
votes
2
answers
588
views
Does a constant power prop exist? What are the tradeoffs compared to a constant speed prop?
Variable-pitch props allow pilots to adjust the angle of attack of the propeller to change the load on the engine.
The most common implementation of this is a constant speed prop where the prop ...
0
votes
1
answer
388
views
Does the stability of a mass change if the center of gravity is above or below the point of thrust? [duplicate]
I was wondering if it makes any difference if the mass is balanced above or below the point of thrust. See image below for clarification:
In the image you can see two configurations. The red arrow / ...
- 127