Page 493 - PPL-engelsk 2025

Principles of flight

5.7.6 Airplane controls and trim

The next page shows the aircraft's control elements. To make the aircraft

maneuverable and give the pilot good control over the aircraft, the controls are

aligned and trimmed with each other.

For this purpose, the following are used:

- aerodynamic balancing

- fixed trim tab

- servo tab

- anti-servo tab

We will now look at these one by one.

5.7.6.1 Fixed trim tabs

At the back of the rudder and the back of the elevator are small metal plates

that can be bent to fine-tune the aircraft, allowing the pilot to briefly release the

rudders without the aircraft changing its attitude.

These small metal

plates are called

fixed trim tabs

5.7.6.2 Aerodynamic balancing

Here you can see an aerodynamically
balanced elevator, as we have on a Cessna

172, for example.

The part of the rudder that is in front of the

hinge line helps to ease the pilot's pull on

the steering wheel.

Flight Theory PPL(A)(UL)/LAPL Henning Andersen, Midtjysk Flyveskole© 2025 493