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Aileron Balancing

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hole in the ground

Active Member
Joined
May 27, 2018
Messages
32
Location
UK
I have a question regarding aileron balancing and would like to bounce my understanding off the collective wisdom of the forum.

I think that ailerons can be balanced dynamically and/or statically.

1. Dynamic balance is done to reduce pilot force input requirements and is achieved by having some area of the control surface in front of the hinge arm.

2. Static balance is done to reduce the possibility of flutter by moving the aileron c of g closer to (or forwards of?) the hinge arm and is achieved with some ballast forward of the hinge arm.

3. A 100% statically balanced aileron would have a c of g on the hinge line.

4. A 100% dynamically balanced aileron would have as much area in front of the hinge arm as behind it. This would mean that the pilots input would only need to overcome system friction and no aero forces.

Are my statements 1-4 correct? Are there other ways of achieving 1? Is 4 potentially dangerous as it verges in unstable control surfaces? I.E. if it were 101% balanced the pilot would have to juggle to prevent the controls going to full deflection.

thanks for your help
 
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