Aircraft Systems - 02 - Flight Controls

00:06:38
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhQ8Ai4fa_Q

Summary

TLDRThe video details the two main systems of aircraft flight controls: primary and secondary. The primary flight controls consist of the ailerons, elevator, and rudder, which the pilot uses to control roll, pitch, and yaw, respectively. The ailerons control the aircraft's roll, the elevator adjusts the pitch, and the rudder dictates yaw. These controls are activated via a yoke or stick and pedals, manipulating air flow for aerodynamic changes. Secondary flight controls, such as flaps and trim, enhance the airplane's performance and ease pilot workload. Flaps increase lift, which is particularly useful during takeoff and landing to reduce speed and runway length required. Trim systems help maintain desired flight speed with minimal pilot input. The elevator trim is usually operated through a wheel in the cockpit, while the rudder has a ground-adjustable tab, useful during climbs to counteract left-turning tendencies. This introduction to flight controls sets the stage for further exploration into the aircraft's power plant.

Takeaways

  • ✈️ Primary flight controls include ailerons, elevator, and rudder.
  • 🚀 Ailerons control the aircraft's roll and are located on the wing tips.
  • 📈 The elevator adjusts the aircraft's pitch, affecting climb and descent.
  • 🧭 The rudder controls yaw and is operated through pedals.
  • ⚙️ Secondary controls like flaps and trim improve performance and ease operation.
  • 🛫 Flaps increase lift, aiding in takeoff and landing on short runways.
  • 🔧 Trim systems reduce pilot workload by maintaining flight speed with less input.
  • 🎛️ Elevator trim is adjusted via a cockpit wheel for nose up or down control.
  • 🛠️ The rudder's trim tab is adjusted manually when on the ground.
  • 🌬️ Aerodynamic forces are manipulated through these controls for desired flight paths.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:06:38

    The video explains the flight controls used to manipulate aerodynamic forces, allowing pilots to control aircraft. It describes the two systems of flight controls: primary, which include ailerons, elevator, and rudder; and secondary, which include flaps and trim. Primary controls allow basic aircraft movements like roll, pitch, and yaw by manipulating airflow over control surfaces through mechanical linkages. Secondary controls enhance performance and reduce pilot workload by adjusting lift and stability. The mechanics of how flaps and trim operate are described, explaining their role in takeoff, landing, and maintaining airspeed with minimal pilot input. The video highlights the importance of these controls in ensuring desired aircraft performance.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What are the primary flight controls on an aircraft?

    The primary flight controls are the ailerons, elevator, and rudder.

  • What do the secondary flight controls do?

    Secondary flight controls, such as flaps and trim, are used to change the airplane's performance and lighten the pilot's workload.

  • How are the ailerons controlled?

    Ailerons are controlled by the yoke or stick and are responsible for the aircraft's roll or bank.

  • What is the function of the elevator on an aircraft?

    The elevator controls the airplane's pitch, allowing it to climb or descend.

  • How does the rudder affect the aircraft's movement?

    The rudder, controlled by pedals, affects the yaw of the airplane, making the nose slide left or right.

  • Where are the flaps located and what is their purpose?

    Flaps are located on the back side of the wing, close to the fuselage, and they increase lift during takeoff and landing.

  • What is the purpose of trim in aircraft controls?

    Trim systems reduce pilot workload by allowing the airplane to fly at a desired speed with minimal control input.

  • How is the elevator trim tab controlled?

    The elevator trim tab is controlled via a cockpit wheel that adjusts nose up or nose down trim.

  • What are the benefits of using flaps during takeoff and landing?

    Flaps allow the plane to take off at lower speeds and land using less runway distance, beneficial for short runways.

  • What is unique about the rudder's trim tab?

    The rudder’s trim tab is ground adjustable, meaning it can only be adjusted manually when the aircraft is on the ground.

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  • 00:00:01
    the flight controls consist of various
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    services around the aircraft that
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    manipulate the aerodynamic forces on the
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    plane allowing the pilot to control the
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    aircraft aircraft flight controls are
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    broken into two systems primary and
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    secondary flight
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    controls primary flight controls are
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    simply those flight controls that the
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    pilot primarily uses to control the
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    airplane the three primary flight
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    controls are the ailerons elevator and
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    rudder secondary flight controls on the
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    other hand are used to change the
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    airplane's performance and lighten the
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    Pilot's workload the two secondary
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    flight controls that we'll discuss are
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    the flaps and trim the pilot controls
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    the ailerons and elevator with a yoke or
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    stick and the rudder with the rudder
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    pedals in most General Aviation
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    airplanes as the pilot moves the
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    controls he or she is moving steel
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    cables or push rods connected through
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    other linkages that physically move
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    these
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    controls as the control service is
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    deflected the air flow is changed which
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    results in an aerodynamic Force changing
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    the airplane's path through the air
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    let's investigate the three primary
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    flight controls in more
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    detail the aerons are located on the
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    back end of the Wings out towards the
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    tip and control the aircraft's roll or
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    Bank when the pilot moves the controls
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    to the left the left aileron is
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    deflected up up creating a downward
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    force and the right aileron is deflected
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    down creating an upward Force this
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    results in the airplane rolling to the
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    left the opposite would happen if the
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    pilot were to move the controls to the
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    right the elevator is attached to the
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    back of the horizontal stabilizer and
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    controls the airplane's pitch which
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    allows the airplane to climb or
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    descend when the pilot moves the
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    controls forward or AF the elev rotates
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    deflecting the air and creating a force
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    that results in the airplane's pitch
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    changing if the pilot pulls back on the
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    controls the elevator will move up
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    creating a force that pushes the tail of
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    the airplane down thereby making the
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    nose pitch up and causing the airplane
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    to start
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    climbing finally the rudder which is
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    controlled by the rudder pedals is
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    attached to the back end of the vertical
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    stabilizer as the pilot pushes on one of
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    the rudder pedals a cable connected to
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    the Rudder allows the rudder to move
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    just like the other flight controls as
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    air moves around the deflected Rudder A
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    force is applied making the airplane
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    yaw simply if the pilot pushes the left
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    Rudder pedal the nose of the airplane
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    will slide to the left the easiest way
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    to Envision this is to think of an
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    airplane suspended on a string above the
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    ground if you and your friends were to
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    walk up to the rudder and push as hard
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    as you could towards the right what do
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    you think would happen the tail of the
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    the airplane would move to the right and
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    the nose would move to the left it's
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    that simple we use the rudder in
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    coordination with the aerons to turn the
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    airplane the primary flight controls
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    then fundamentally work the same the
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    pilot moves a control on the cockpit
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    which through cables and other linkages
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    moves that control as that control is
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    moved the air flow around it gets
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    deflected creating a force and results
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    in the airplane either rolling pitching
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    or yawing
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    in order to help improve the performance
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    of the airplane and make the Pilot's job
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    easier most General Aviation airplanes
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    are equipped with flaps and trim known
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    as secondary flight controls let's
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    examine these
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    further the flaps are located on the
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    back side of the wing close to the
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    fuselage they are primarily used to help
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    increase lift during takeoff and
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    Landing the pilot controls the flaps by
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    moving a lever in the airplane which
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    either electrically moves the flaps by a
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    motor like on the cesna 172 or the pilot
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    manually moves the flaps using a lever
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    like on the piper arrow in either case
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    as the pilot extends the flaps the shape
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    of the wing changes which increases lift
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    this allows the airplane to fly at
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    slower air speeds and make steeper
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    approaches to
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    Landing this is extremely beneficial
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    during takeoff from a short Runway
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    because it allows the airplane to take
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    off at a slower speed meaning it will
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    use less
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    Runway during Landing the pilot uses
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    flaps to allow the airplane to land at a
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    slower air speed using less distance to
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    decelerate and
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    stop the other secondary flight control
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    that we'll discuss is trim the trim is
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    used to make the Pilot's job easier and
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    allows the airplane to essentially fly
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    itself with fewer control inputs by the
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    pilot the cesna 172 like most training
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    airplanes has two trims one that the
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    pilot can directly control through
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    cables on the elevator and the other a
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    ground adjustable tab on the
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    rudder the elevator trim is typically
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    controlled through a wheel inside the
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    cockpit that is labeled nose down or
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    nose up as the pilot moves this wheel
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    the cables will adjust the elevator trim
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    tab which is located on the AFT or back
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    end of the
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    elevator usually during takeoff the trim
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    tab is in its neutral position which
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    means it is just about flush with the
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    elevator as the pilot climbs however he
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    or she may trim the airplane to help
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    relieve control pressure and prevent
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    pilot fatigue if he or she wants to
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    climb at a specific air speed then the
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    trim can be adjusted to maintain that
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    air speed the rudder has a ground
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    adjustable trim tab that simply means
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    that it can only be adjusted while on
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    the ground as the pilot has to manually
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    move it
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    the rudder's ground adjustable tab helps
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    the pilot during climb because of the
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    left turning tendencies that the plane
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    has while climbing we'll talk more about
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    those turning tendencies in a future
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    lesson it is obvious that the flight
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    controls are a necessity for the pilot
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    to fly the airplane the pilot
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    manipulates these flight controls in
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    order to achieve the desired performance
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    out of the
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    airplane now that we have a basic
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    understanding of the components of the
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    airplane and how pilot controls
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    different surfaces let's go under the
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    hood of the airplane and investigate the
  • 00:06:35
    power plant
Tags
  • flight controls
  • primary controls
  • secondary controls
  • aileron
  • elevator
  • rudder
  • flaps
  • trim
  • aerodynamics
  • pilot workload