Gord Beaman wrote:
What goes around comes around? in the mid fifties the RCAF
acquired an ASW aircraft called the Argus...it was a much
modified Bristol Britannia and had 'floating controls'. They were
free floating and were controlled by 'tabs' on their trailing
edges. When at rest the ailerons hung down (both of them!) at
about 45 degrees and when the 'gust locks' were on they both
reared up about the same. The elevators both hung down 30 0r 40
degrees when unlocked and were straight back when locked, the
rudder was straight back when locked and was 'where-ever it
damned well wanted' when unlocked...quite weird...got many tower
controllers (and airline pilots) in a knot.

Doesn't the DC-9 work this way too? I have a vague recollection of
talking to a DC-9 pilot who explained the system to me -- mechanical
interconnections to servo tabs, with the main surfaces floating free.

Or is my memory faulty?