Flight Control Systems Flashcards
7 cards from real Airframe Mechanic Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Flight Control Systems flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of a trim tab on a control surface?
Answer: To relieve the pilot of sustained control forces
Trim tabs are adjusted to relieve the pilot of continuous pressure needed to maintain a desired flight attitude.
Which type of cable rigging check verifies that control surfaces move in the correct direction when cockpit controls are deflected?
Answer: Operational check
An operational check confirms correct direction of surface movement relative to cockpit control input, ensuring no crossed cables.
A differential aileron system is designed to move the upgoing aileron:
Answer: More than the downgoing aileron
Differential ailerons reduce adverse yaw by raising the upgoing aileron a greater amount than the downgoing aileron is lowered.
What does a 'hard over' failure in a fly-by-wire flight control actuator mean?
Answer: The actuator drives the control surface to its maximum deflection and holds
A hard-over failure causes the actuator to drive the surface to its physical stop and remain there, a potentially catastrophic condition.
On a Cessna-style single-engine aircraft, the elevator control system uses which type of cable routing at the empennage?
Answer: Cables routed over pulleys to a bellcrank
Most light aircraft route elevator cables aft over a series of pulleys and fairleads to a bellcrank that converts cable motion to surface movement.
What is the correct method for checking flight control cable tension on an aircraft?
Answer: Using a calibrated tensiometer at the specified temperature
A calibrated tensiometer provides an accurate reading that can be compared against the manufacturer's temperature-corrected tension table.
Which component prevents a flight control cable from jumping off a pulley during slack conditions?
Answer: Cable guard or guard pin
Cable guards (guard pins or keeper plates) retain the cable on the pulley groove if tension momentarily goes slack.