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Examining over 100 years of flight automation and the history of the autopilot

Aerotime

His system would provide an aircraft with automatic stability and control mechanism, through the control of the ailerons, stabilizer, and tail rudder through the use of a set of simple gyroscopes. As the French mechanic slid himself along the wing of the aircraft, shifting its center of gravity, the aircraft became unbalanced.

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Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Bell X-14

Vintage Aviation News

(Wright State University) The original configuration of the Bell Model 68 was an open cockpit all-metal monoplane with fixed landing gear that was powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engines with thrust deflectors located at the aircraft’s center of gravity.

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The Hazards of Aircraft Icing: Explained

Pilot Institute

Remember that wings, propeller blades, and tail surfaces are airfoil-shaped. Additional Dangers of Ice Accumulation Icing also makes your aircraft heavier and can even change the position of the center of gravity. Well, while frost isn’t as dangerous as clear ice, it can still block your view through the cockpit window.

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Everything You Need To Know About Ailerons

Pilot Institute

The pilot is able to control the aircrafts roll by turning the control yoke or sidestick in the cockpit. Most of the ailerons mass lies behind the hinge, making it tail-heavy. Tail-heavy ailerons droop downwards when they arent being pulled by the control system. This shifts the ailerons Center of Gravity (C.G.)

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COMBAT VIETNAM: The Threat Inside My Aircraft

Vintage Aviation News

We strapped into the cockpit, completed routine checks and procedures, started the engines, and taxied to the end of the runway. Load’s” relatively safe haven high in the tail section left him hanging upside down on steel-wire control cables, emulating a tree sloth. At such a slow landing speed, trimming the aircraft was crucial.

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Nothing Small About It

Plane and Pilot

True, a slightly higher aspect ratio wing was desired, which in turn required a larger vertical tail and thus a little extra mass, but the size, approximately 20% larger than a Widgeon, was set. The Mallard—it’s a trike—has a tail stinger because it otherwise falls on its tail when loading.”

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Stupid Pilot Tricks

AV Web

It had cut into the tail rotor gearbox, tearing it off the helicopter. NTSB says, flight crew attempted to takeoff with the airplane 2975 pounds over the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), a center of gravity (CG) close to the most forward limit, and an incorrect stabilizer trim setting. No doors, no problem. Other than that, what?

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