AVT 1100

PART 141 – PRIVATE PILOT GROUND SCHOOL

GROUND LESSON 4
GL 4 – PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY FLIGHT
CONTROLS
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
• All Flight Control Systems can either be:
• Mechanical Systems – use of cables, bell cranks,
push/pull tubes, pulley systems connected
between control surface and control wheel/stick
in the cockpit. – Most common in trainer aircraft

• Electrical Systems – use of electrical switches,

motors, circuitry

• Hydraulic Systems – primarily used in large

aircraft which require more than human strength
to operate; however, hydraulic systems are found
in brake systems of light aircraft
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS

• Primary Flight Control Systems

• Secondary Flight Control Systems

• Trim Systems
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
• Three primary systems required to safely control an aircraft in
flight
1. Ailerons – longitudinal axis
2. Elevator – lateral axis
3. Rudder – vertical axis
• Carefully designed to provide aerodynamic responses to pilot
control input
• Low airspeeds: controls feel sluggish, soft, non or slow
responsiveness
• High airspeeds: controls feel firm and rapidly respond
• Movement of any of the three primary flight control systems:
• Changes airflow direction and pressure distribution
• Changes ratio of lift and drag
• Allows pilot to control aircraft about its three axis
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
• Ailerons
• Located on the outer-most trailing edge of wings
• Farthest point from CG = most effective (arm)
• Mechanical system in our aircraft fleet (C-172, PA28, BE76)
• Right Roll:
• Right aileron up – decreases camber which decreases lift
• Left aileron down – increases camber which increases lift
• Left Roll:
• Left Aileron up - decreases camber which decreases lift
• Right Aileron down - – increases camber which increases lift
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Ailerons

• Thumb Rule
• Pilot’s thumbs on the control yoke
points to the up aileron
• Keeping the terms straight
• UP aileron = Down wing
• Down Aileron = Up wing
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
• Types of Ailerons
• Differential Ailerons
• Raised aileron travels a greater distance
• Increases the drag on the descending wing (raised aileron)
• Reduces the adverse yaw created by the ascending wing (lowered
aileron)
• Frise-Type Ailerons
• Use of an offset hinge assembly
• Leading edge of aileron protrudes into the airstream which creates
drag
• This drag offsets the higher drag of the ascending wing that causes
the adverse yaw
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
Adverse yaw
• Tendency of airplane’s nose to yaw in the opposite
direction of the bank
• Due to increased in drag on the downward aileron
on the rising wing
• Results in slight difference in velocity of the left and
right wing
• More noticeable at low airspeeds where control
surfaces are less effective at lower speeds and more
control input is required
• More aileron deflection = more adverse yaw
• Adverse yaw, if not corrected, leads to an
uncoordinated flight condition. – very dangerous
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
• Types of Ailerons (cont.)
• Coupled Ailerons and Rudder
• Linked controls that ensure coordinated flight
• Flaperons
• Dual purpose: can act as ailerons and as flaps
• Ailerons – control surface moves in opposite direction
• Flaps – move in same direction
• Pilot controls are separate; mixer is used to distinguish
control surface movement
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
• Rudder
• Located on the trailing edge of the vertical
stabilizer – back of the tail.
• Controlled by foot pedals – “rudder pedals”
• Mechanically operated
• Yaws the nose of aircraft left or right
• Left foot
• Rudder deflects left; Nose points left
• Aerodynamic force on tail goes right
• Right foot
• Rudder deflects right; Nose point right
• Aerodynamic force on tail goes left
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
• Elevator
• Located on horizontal stabilizer
• Controlled by pushing/pulling the yoke
• Mechanically operated (Aviator fleet)
• Pitches the nose up and down
• Up elevator decreases camber
• Decreases lift on horizontal stabilizer – nose up
• Deflects relative wind upward
• Down elevator increases camber
• Increases lift on horizontal stabilizer – nose down
• Deflects relative wind downward
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Primary Flight Controls
• Elevator
• Can be located at various areas
• Low point
• Mid point
• High point (T-Tail)
• Mid and high point allow for the elevator
to remain clear of prop and jet wash
• Stabilator – one piece horizontal stabilizer on a
central hinge
• Uses antiservo tab to decrease sensitivity of control
inputs
• Moves in same direction
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Secondary Flight Controls
• Wing Flap – most common high-lift device
• Multiple types
• Leading edge devices – High lift devices on leading of wing
• Slots, flaps, cuffs
• Spoilers – spoil the lift by increasing drag
• Controls rate of descent
• Trim systems – used to fine tune the effectiveness of the primary
flight controls for a given flight attitude
• Allows the pilot to configure the aircraft and reduce the pressure on
the flight controls
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Secondary Flight Controls
Wing Flap – Allows pilot to fly a steeper approach without gaining
excess speed
• Plain Flap – Simplest, increases camber & CL , moves CP aft causing nose down pitch
• Split Flap – Slight increase in lift compared to plain, Lots of Drag
• Both Plain and Split produce large amounts of drag and small amounts of lift
• Slotted Flap – Most common. Many types for both large and small aircraft
• Significant increase in CL-max as compared to Plain/Split.
• Allow max increase in drag without the airflow over the flaps separating and
destroying lift
• Fowler Flap – Type of slotted flap
• Increases BOTH the camber and wing area
• First degree: high increase in lift; low increase in drag
• Second degree: more increase in drag; less increase in lift
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Secondary Flight Controls
• Leading Edge Devices
• Fixed Slots – delays airflow separation @ higher AoA
• Increases CL and stall is delayed until higher AoA
• Movable Slats – Allow air below the wing to flow over the
wing’s upper surface, delaying airflow separation
• Leading Edge Flap – increases both camber and CL
• Leading Edge Cuff – Fixed aerodynamic devices, lowers
aircraft stall speed by extending leading edge forward and
downward causing airflow to attach to upper wing surface at
higher AoA.
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS

Secondary Flight Controls

• Spoilers
• High Drag Devices – “spoils” smooth airflow
• Often used to control rate of descent
• Gives ability to descend without gaining speed
• Can be deployed on the ground to shortened landing distances
• In addition to creating drag, the reduction of lift puts more force on the
wheels and therefore, brakes become more effective in stopping aircraft
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Secondary Flight Controls
• Trim Systems
• Used to relieve the pilot of the need to maintain constant pressure on the
flight controls;
• Designed to minimize pilot’s workload
• Aerodynamically assist movement and position of the primary flight
control.
• Types:
• Trim Tabs – most common is single tab on trailing edge of elevator
• Balance Tabs –moves opposite to counterbalance over-controlling
• Antiservo Tabs – Same purpose as a balance tab but moves in same direction
• Ground Adjustable – non-moveable tab on the rudder – do not adjust
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Secondary Flight Controls
• Trim Systems
FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS
Completion Standards

Study Assignment
• Download POH and FOM for the
C-172N. You will need a copy for
class. Either hard/paper copy or
electronic copy.
• You may also want to check PHAK – Chapter 7 
with your flight instructor to see
what (s)he prefers you have.