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From: ltn@lems.UUCP (Les Niles)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Control surface failure
Message-ID: <151@lems.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Dec-84 13:27:39 EST
Article-I.D.: lems.151
Posted: Mon Dec  3 13:27:39 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Dec-84 03:31:51 EST
References: 
Reply-To: ltn@lems.UUCP (Les Niles)
Organization: lems
Lines: 44

[]

In article  jgpo@ihu1e.UUCP (John, KA9MNK) writes:
>...
>We decided that a rudder failure probably wouldn't be too bad.  An elevator
>failure would be pretty tense, but the plane might be flyable to a controlled
>crash using trim.  An aileron failure would be extremely bad news, but a
>good pilot *might* be able to survive the crash by trying to keep the wings
>level with fast and furious rudder work.
>
>We didn't even want to think about multiple failures.
>
>Does anyone have any ideas on the subject?  Or worse, any experience with
>control surface failure?  This could be an interesting subject for
>discussion, so why not post your replies?
>
>	John Opalko

Well, not really control surface failures, but i do have some data points
and i don't think the failure of any one surface would be that bad, if
it just streamlined.
A couple of years ago i took some dual from a CFI who has been flying
50 years, and who didn't think much of my (rather horrible) over-manipulation
of the controls.  To make a point, he offered to take me once around the patch
(including take-off & landing) *without touching the control wheel* (the
plane was a C-150 Aerobat).  I knew better than to argue & said ok.  He had
the rudder pedals & nose wheel steering for directional control, and the
elevator trim to rotate for the takeoff.  The turns in the air skidded a lot,
of course, but it turned just fine.  He flared with the trim also, and
added some aileron at the last minute due to a crosswind (wasn't
necessary, but he didn't want to unnecessarily injure the landing gear).
I'm sure a no-rudder trip would be even easier, except for holding the
centerline on takeoff.
I also remember reading a story in Flying about a crew that took off in
a fairly large twin with *all* the (external) control locks on.  They
managed to get back by using elevator trim and power to control pitch,
and differential thrust to turn.
Unless a failure is holding a control surface deflected (as apparently
happened with the trim tab), i don't think there'd be much problem.  The
one that i always wonder about is assymetric flap deployment:  One wing
with full flaps and the other with none probably would generate an
uncontrollable roll.

-les niles