"Brian Burger" wrote in message
ia.tc.ca...
On Mon, 14 Mar 2005, Stefan wrote:

M wrote:

ailerons to act as part of a full-span flap system.

Such control surfaces are called flaperons. Nothing new. You find them
on many aircraft, from gliders to military jets. The system does not
rely on fly by wire, e.g. on gliders it's realised mechanically.

Some of DeHavilland Canada's designs have/had them; I know the Twin Otter
does - it's interesting watching them land in the harbour here with the
entire trailing edge of the wing sagging! The Twin Otter is mechanical, of
course.

For real oddness, the F16 supposedly uses its elevators for roll control;
they can move together (pitch) or differentially (roll).

Brian
www.warbard.ca/avgas/

As does the F15, F14 and, I belive, the F/A18 as well.

For additional "oddness", check out the A10: the ailerons function as speed
brakes by splitting and deploying both up and down. I've often wondered if
the amount of up/down is variable for roll control or if the amount of split
remains constant and the entire assembly pivots up and down as ailerons
normally do?

Jay B