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 purpose of a servo tab (floating tab) on a large aircraft's control surface?
Answer: To aerodynamically assist control surface movement and reduce pilot effort
A servo tab deflects opposite to the desired surface direction, using aerodynamic force to drive the main surface, which reduces the hinge moment the pilot must overcome.
Aircraft control cables are typically fabricated from which material?
Answer: Galvanized or corrosion-resistant steel (CRES)
Flight control cables are most commonly made from extra-flexible 7×19 or flexible 7×7 carbon steel or corrosion-resistant steel wire rope.
What is the maximum recommended bend angle for a flight control push-pull rod when routing around an obstruction?
Answer: No bends are permitted; push-pull rods must be straight
Push-pull rods must remain straight between attachment points because bending introduces bending loads the tube is not designed to carry; pulleys and bellcranks are used to change direction.
Which locking method is approved for safetying a completed turnbuckle in a flight control cable system?
Answer: Safety wire using the double-wrap method per AC 43.13
AC 43.13-1B specifies the double-wrap safety wire method (or clip-locking) as the approved means of safetying turnbuckles in flight control systems.
On a hydromechanical flight control system, what happens if hydraulic pressure is lost to the power control unit (PCU)?
Answer: The system typically reverts to direct manual cable control
Many hydromechanical PCUs are designed so that loss of hydraulic power allows the unit to be manually back-driven, reverting to manual reversion for pilot control.
What is 'aerodynamic balance' as applied to flight control surfaces?
Answer: Placing part of the surface area ahead of the hinge line to reduce hinge moment
Aerodynamic balance uses surface area forward of the hinge centerline to generate a moment that opposes the hinge moment, reducing the force the pilot must apply.
When inspecting a cable swaged terminal, which defect would require immediate replacement?
Answer: Any visible crack in the swaged portion of the terminal
Any crack in a swaged terminal indicates structural failure of the fitting and requires immediate replacement before further flight.