Airplane Flight Controls - QT

Lesson Quicktakes cover the items that should be memorized from each of the wifiCFI Lessons. They do not cover all of the lesson details in-depth.

PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROLS

Ailerons

Elevator

Rudder

SECONDARY FLIGHT CONTROLS

Wing Flaps

Leading Edge Devices

Spoilers

Trim

AILERONS

Control roll about the longitudinal axis.

Differential Ailerons = Up-going aileron travels further than down-going aileron.

Frise-Type Ailerons = Aileron pivots on an off-set hinge.

Coupled Ailerons and Rudder = Ailerons and Rudder are linked controls.

Flaperons = Ailerons and Flaps are linked controls.

ELEVATOR

Controls pitch about the lateral axis.

Elevator = Connected to horizontal stabilizer.

Elevator T-Tail = Elevator at top of vertical stabilizer. Out of way of downwash.

Stabilator = Elevator and horizontal stabilizer are one moving piece. More sensitive to control inputs.

Canard = Elevator at front of aircraft. On “pusher-prop” aircraft.

RUDDER

Controls yaw about the vertical axis.

Rudder = Left rudder pedal moves rudder to the left, aircraft nose to the right. Vice-versa.

V-Tail Design = Rudder and Elevator are linked controls.

FLAPS

Lift and Drag devices.

Plan Flap = Splits off trailing edge of wing. High lift and high drag.

Split Flap = Splits of lower edge of wing. More lift than plain flap.

Slotted Flap = Pivots off trailing edge on an off-set hinge. Increases lift further.

Fowler Flap = Slides back and pivots downward off trailing edge. Allows pilot to select settings for either high lift or high drag.

LEADING EDGE DEVICES

Create lift off leading edge of wing.

Fixed = Do not move. Direct airflow over upper surface of wing.

Movable = Move on tracks. Direct airflow over upper surface of wing.

Leading Edge Flaps = Increase lift and camber of wing.

Cuffs = Increase lift and camber of wing.

SPOILERS

Greatly increase drag and reduce lift.

Used to decrease landing distance on large aircraft.

TRIM SYSTEMS

Relieve pilot control pressure.

Trim Tabs = Attached to trailing edge of elevator. Controlled by a wheel in the cockpit.

Balance Tabs = Used to decrease control forces need to operate an airfoil (aerodynamically).

Servo Tabs = Used to decrease control forces need to operate an airfoil (mechanically).

Anti-Servo Tabs = Move in same direction as control surface with further travel. Used to decrease the sensitivity of an airfoil.

Ground Adjustable Tabs = Can be bent and adjusted on the ground. Correct placement is trial and error.

Adjustable Stabilizer = Uses a jackscrew to move the horizontal stabilizer.