Flight investigation of the effect of control centering springs on the apparent spiral stability of a personal-owner airplane (open access)

Flight investigation of the effect of control centering springs on the apparent spiral stability of a personal-owner airplane

Report presents the results of a flight investigation conducted on a typical high-wing personal-owner airplane to determine the effect of control centering springs on apparent spiral stability. Apparent spiral stability is the term used to describe the spiraling tendencies of an airplane in uncontrolled flight as affected both by the true spiral stability of the perfectly trimmed airplane and by out-of-trim control settings. Centering springs were used in both the aileron and rudder control systems to provide both a positive centering action and a means of trimming the airplane.
Date: March 22, 1951
Creator: Campbell, John P.; Hunter, Paul A.; Hewes, Donald E. & Whitten, James B.
System: The UNT Digital Library