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F/A-18 aileron explanation
- Thread starter mo7stanley
- Start date
They're outboard the flaps... you can see the small gap between the trailing edge flaps and the ailerons...
The F/A-18 has stabilators instead of elevators... not instead of ailerons...
mo7stanley
Registered User
The stabilator is basically the elevator. It is what allows the plane to control the pitch. It is a stabilator because the whole thing moves which allows the pilot to control the pitch in super sonic flight. An elevator only has part of the horizontal stabilizer move. So I would say that your roommate is pulling his info out of somewhere I don't want to know about. I could be wrong, but that is how it is in general aviation and I thing there would have a different word for it if the stabilator really did control the bank.
If the ailerons on near the wing tips, then why are both of them down? Shouldn't they be opposite: one up one down, or equal?
If the ailerons on near the wing tips, then why are both of them down? Shouldn't they be opposite: one up one down, or equal?
mo7stanley
Registered User
Then how does the computer control the bank angle of the plane?
I had a long reply I was going to post to teach M7Stanley a wee bit, but this is just too annoying to participate in...
Good night.
petescheu
Registered User
I'll take this one for you schnugg, I'm bored right now...
Right and wrong... the stabilator is for pitch, but the reason we have a full surface deflection over a partial is for maneuverability and total nose authority. Nose authority in slow speed flight in the Hornet is pretty amazing, and a lot of it is due to the stabs being able to take such a huge bite on the air, although much has to do with the LEX, the LEFs, TEFs, and the FCS as well. It has nothing to do with supersonic flight. Things that happen behind shock waves get pretty crazy... what that means for the stabs is that it requires very small inputs to produce any sort of pitch. Hence why the FCS is so great. Basically it takes the input you put into the stick and interprets it as "this is what the dude in my jet wants." Then it looks at about a hundred things from airspeed to alpha to altitude etc etc etc etc and then it says ok this is how I'm going to move any one (or combination thereof) of the 10 control surfaces to give the pilot what they want. So it all depends. The ailerons are drooping in that photo b.c they are acting as flaperons, ie they are giving extra lift to the jet because it's in slow speed flight at that point.
Just remember, the jet is way smarter than you are....
Right and wrong... the stabilator is for pitch, but the reason we have a full surface deflection over a partial is for maneuverability and total nose authority. Nose authority in slow speed flight in the Hornet is pretty amazing, and a lot of it is due to the stabs being able to take such a huge bite on the air, although much has to do with the LEX, the LEFs, TEFs, and the FCS as well. It has nothing to do with supersonic flight. Things that happen behind shock waves get pretty crazy... what that means for the stabs is that it requires very small inputs to produce any sort of pitch. Hence why the FCS is so great. Basically it takes the input you put into the stick and interprets it as "this is what the dude in my jet wants." Then it looks at about a hundred things from airspeed to alpha to altitude etc etc etc etc and then it says ok this is how I'm going to move any one (or combination thereof) of the 10 control surfaces to give the pilot what they want. So it all depends. The ailerons are drooping in that photo b.c they are acting as flaperons, ie they are giving extra lift to the jet because it's in slow speed flight at that point.
Just remember, the jet is way smarter than you are....
mo7stanley
Registered User
Whoops, sorry about the confusion on the stabilator. I watched a movie or two that talked about what a revolutionary design it was. In fact, the movie said that it was key to going super sonic. I think that is where the confusion came from.
So I think I understand the answer to my question about how the FA-18 controls bank with the ailerons down is: the computer is smart and it will figure how to control the bank if it has to.
EDIT: I think I may have figured it out. If both ailerons are creating the same amount of lift in the down position, then in order to control the bank, one of the ailerons could just raise up a little bit and the plane would turn in a specific direction. So the right wing raises its aileron, the plane would begin to role to the right because the left wing is at a higher AOA than the right wing and thus creating more lift. Is that correct?
So I think I understand the answer to my question about how the FA-18 controls bank with the ailerons down is: the computer is smart and it will figure how to control the bank if it has to.
EDIT: I think I may have figured it out. If both ailerons are creating the same amount of lift in the down position, then in order to control the bank, one of the ailerons could just raise up a little bit and the plane would turn in a specific direction. So the right wing raises its aileron, the plane would begin to role to the right because the left wing is at a higher AOA than the right wing and thus creating more lift. Is that correct?
The ailerons still have some movement even when they are drooped. Basically less droop equals less lift equals wing down on that side.
petescheu
Registered User
I aim to please.