Aircraft Flight

Controls and
Operation
Systems
 • Objective: To
determine that the
Lesson student understands
flight controls and
systems on the
Outline airplane provided for
the flight test, can
apply that knowledge,
manage associates'
risks, and demonstrate
proper piloting skills

• Sources: Pilot
Handbook of
Aeronautical
Knowledge
Lesson • Elements: Primary and secondary flight controls, powerplant
and propeller, fuel and oil, electrical system, pitot-static
system, vacuum system, and environmental systems.
Outline • Timeframe: Approx. 120 minutes
• Equipment/Tools: Lesson presentations, whiteboard and
markers, and FAA sources and references
 • Instructor Actions: Present objectives and standards, teach
Lesson from presentation, ask and answer student questions, and
assign homework.
Outline • Student Actions: Participate in the lesson, take notes, and
ask and respond to questions.
• Completion Standards: Students can understand the flight
controls and systems of the airplane being used for the flight
test. They can explain the functionality and mitigate possible
risks in the systems.
Airplane
Airplane’s structural design (semi-monocoque)
Wing Construction
Primary Flight • Ailerons (roll)
Controls • Rudder (yaw)
• Elevator (pitch)
(required)
 • Fundamental Principle:
• Ailerons are the primary control
surfaces responsible for roll
movement around the aircraft's
longitudinal axis

• Operational Mechanics:
• Ailerons always move in opposite
directions, creating a differential lift
mechanism

• The Physics Behind Wing Movement:

• Lowering an aileron increases the
wing's camber (curvature)
• This modification creates more lift on
the descending wing
Ailerons • Simultaneously, it reduces lift on the
opposite wing
• The result is a controlled rolling
motion

• Aerodynamic Complexity: Adverse

Yaw:
• While ailerons enable turning, they
introduce an interesting aerodynamic
challenge:
• The lowered aileron generates
increased lift
• It also produces more induced drag
• This drag causes the aircraft's nose
to yaw in the opposite direction of
Different Types of Ailerons
 • Fundamental Principles
• The rudder is a critical control
surface that enables an aircraft to
rotate around its vertical axis.
• How the Rudder Works
• Pilots control the rudder by
stepping on the lower half of the
rudder pedals
• Primary Uses of the Rudder
• Counteracting Adverse Yaw: Helps
mitigate unwanted sideways
motion during turns

Rudder
• Managing Aircraft Turning
Tendencies: Corrects inherent
directional drift
• Maintaining Coordinated Flight:
Ensures smooth, balanced aircraft
movement
• Ground Maneuverability:
1. Assists in precise taxiing around
the airport
2. Provides directional control
during takeoff and landing
sequences
 • Fundamental Principles:
• The elevator is a critical control
surface that manages an
aircraft's pitch. It rotates around
the lateral axis and is the
aircraft's primary mechanism for
climbing, descending, and
maintaining level flight.

• Pitch Manipulation Mechanism:

Elevator • When a pilot pulls back on the

control yoke, the elevator moves
upward
• Because this "wing" is
intentionally inverted, the
aerodynamic response is unique:
• The tail is forced downward
• The aircraft's nose rises
• The plane begins to climb
Secondary Flight
Controls (assists)

Flaps
Leading Edge Slats
Spoilers
Trim Tabs
 • Plain Flap: The back part
of the wing flaps down
using a hinge at the front
of the flap.
• Split Flap: The bottom
part of the flap lowers
down from the front, while
the top stays in place.
• Slotted Flap: Like a Plain
Flap, but with a gap that
lets air flow from below the
wing over the flap, helping
airflow stay smooth and
reducing turbulence.
Flaps • Fowler Flap: A split flap
that slides back before
tilting down. It increases
the wing's surface area and
curve, helping with both
takeoff and landing by
providing the right balance
of lift and drag.
• Double Slotted Fowler
Flap: An improved version
of the Fowler flap that adds
a slotted design to improve
airflow and performance
further. features of the
slotted flap.
 1. Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Flight 2. Attitude Indicator (AI)
Instrument 3. Altimeter
4. Turn Coordinator (TC)
s 5. Heading Indicator (HI)
6. Vertical Speed Indicator
(VSI)
Pitot-Static vs
Gyroscopic
Instruments

Pitot-Static Instruments Gyroscopic

Atmospheric
Pressure
 • Pitot Tube
• Located in front of an
airfoil or at a location that
prevents disturbed air
from entering the system

Pitot-Static • Pitot tube only used by ASI

• Pitot Heat to prevent blockage
from icing
• Alternate static port(s)
 • Airspeed Indicator

• A differential air pressure

instrument that measures
the difference between
Ram pressure and Static
pressure.
Pitot tube pressure (ram

Airspeed pressure + static pressure)

Indicator
line connected to one side
of the diaphragm

• The static line is

connected to the other
side of the diaphragm

• Calibrated for standard

air pressure and
temperature

• Ram Pressure – Static

Airspeed Indicator
 • Altimeter
• The air inside the aneroid
wafers is trapped (sealed)

• The air pressure inside the

instrument case
is the outside air pressure
(from the static port)
• Nature wants to be in
equilibrium – so the wafers
Altimeter will expand or contract until
both pressures are equal
• Height of aircraft above mean
sea level (MSL)

• Source of operation: static port

(static pressure)

• Adjust the altimeter setting for

actual atmospheric conditions
 • Vertical Speed Indicator

• Display feet per minute x

100 (climb or descent)

• Properly calibrated and

Vertical operational VSI will indicate

0 fpm in level flight or on

Speed the ground

Indicator • Principle of operation:

solely from static pressure
port but it is a differential
pressure instrument

• Compares the pressure of

the air from the pressure
few seconds ago –>
lagged/delayed information
Gyroscopic
Flight
Instrument
s
 • Gyroscopic Principles:

• Rigidity in space: Once a

gyroscope is spinning it
tends to remain in a fixed
position in space and
resist external forces
Gyroscopic applied to it

Principles
• Precession: deflection of
a spinning wheel is 90*
ahead in the direction of
rotation and in the
direction of applied force
(Turn Coordinator)
 • Principle of operations:
Gyro, Gimbel, mechanical
linkages (gears, arms,
pinions, levers) and uses
vacuum or electric power

Gyroscopic
to spin the gyro

• The vacuum (suction)

Principles System Provides high speed
airflow to spin the gyro
inside the Attitude
Indicator and Heading
Indicator
 • Attitude Indicator

• Primary instrument for pitch

and bank

• Parts include miniature

aircraft, horizon bar and
scales for pitch and bank,

Attitude
adjustment knob (caging),
roll gimbal and pitch gimbal

Indicator • Display changes in flight

attitude: straight and level,
turns, climbs, descents

• Instate reaction – no-delay

instrument

• Powered by the vacuum

system
 • Attitude Indicator
• The primary instrument for
heading information
• Parts include an adjustment
knob, compass card, and
heading bug (optional)
• Powered by the vacuum
system

Heading
• It must be calibrated to a
magnetic compass before

Indicator takeoff and every 10- 15

minutes thereafter.
• Why not just use the regular
compass?
• A gyroscope is more stable
and not affected by forces
that make the magnetic
compass (MC) unreliable with
numerous errors “ANDS,
UNOS”
 • Turn Coordinator
• Secondary flight
instrument, typically
electrically powered
• Shows rate of turn:
Standard rate turn =

Turn 2 mins.
Inclinometer: sealed
Coordinator curved glass tube
with kerosene (for
dampening), cage and
a ball
• “Coordinated Flight”
= ball in the center
• ”Step on the Ball”
Powerplant
and
Related
Systems
 • Powerplant (THRUST)
• L4HAND
• Lycoming (Manufacturer)
• Four Cylinders
• Horizontally Opposed
(Cylinders)
• Air Cooled (+ oil)
• Naturally Aspirated (Not Turbo
Charged)
• Direct-Driven
• Provides power to supportive / accessory
systems:

Powerplant 1. The electrical system (drives the

alternator)
2. The fuel system (drives the
mechanical fuel pump)
3. The vacuum system (drives the
vacuum pump)
4. The lubrication system (drives
the engine oil pump)
5. The cooling system (air from the
propellor cools down the
cylinders)
• Supplies different types of heat: carburetor,
Powerplan
t
 • Internal combustion engine
(Reciprocating engine / Naturally
Aspirated)

Four Stroke • Engine Cycle (four-strokes):

Engine 1.

2.
Intake

Compression

3. Power

4. Exhaust
 Fuel
Injection
System
Diagram
 Carburetor
Fuel System
Diagram
(Low Wing-
L vs High
Wing- R)
 • Carburetor

• The purpose is to mix

external air with fuel and
deliver it to the cylinders for

Carburetor combustion

• Create the ideal “fuel: air”

mixture (1 molecule of fuel
to 14.7 molecules of air)
Carburetor
 • Carburetor Icing

Carburetor • Moist air + vaporized fuel ->

venturi -> pressure drop ->
Icing temperature drop -> rapid
cooling -> carburetor icing
 • Ignition System

Ignition • Battery needed at first (starter)

System
• Magnetos are an independent system
that creates its own electrical power

Diagram
from the spinning engine

• Dual magnetos for redundancy and

even combustion (performance)

• Off position- grounds the magnetos

 • Detonation

• An explosion of the fuel-air

mixture inside the cylinder.
During detonation, the fuel /
air charge (or pockets within
the charge) explodes rather

Detonation than burning smoothly.

• Causes: lower fuel grade,

high power with a leaned
mixture, steep climb with
little cooling
 • Preignition

• Ignition of the air-fuel charge

while the piston is still
compressing the charge. The
ignition source can be caused
by a cracked spark plug tip,
carbon or lead deposits in the
combustion chamber, or a
burned exhaust valve, anything
that can act as a glow plug to
Preignition ignite the charge prematurely
 • Oil System

• Provides: lubrication,
cooling, sealing, and
cleaning

Oil System
Cooling
System
Exhaust
System
Propeller • Propeller

• Twisted to create an
equal thrust along the
blade
 • Constant Speed Propeller

• Varies pitch of the blade

• increased, it produces
more lift (thrust). At the
same time, more torque
Constant is required to spin the

Speed prop, and the engine

slows down. The
Propeller opposite is true when
the blade angle is
decreased: the torque
required is decreased,
and the engine speeds
up.
 • Electrical System
• The engine is independent from the
electrical system (creates its own
power, magnetos)
• Parts include battery, alternator,
switches, primary and avionics bus,
fuses & circuit breakers, ammeter /
load meter
• The alternator spins by the engine ->

Electrical •
the alternator charges the battery
Master Switch: turns on power to

System
entire system
• Battery power needed for starting
and supplies power in case of
alternator failure
• Ammeter vs. Load meter (-|0|+) vs.
(0+). Both shows the state of the
charging system and electric load
• Alternator/Generator voltage should
be higher than battery voltage
• Fusses and circuit breakers protects
from overload, heating and fire risk
 • This lesson discussed
Lesson various systems that
deal with the
Summary operations of the
aircraft. We discussed
the importance of
these systems to our
safety.
• Any questions?