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F/A-18 aileron explanation

mo7stanley

mo7stanley

Registered User
I was wondering where the ailerons are on the F/A-18. Are they on the V tail, in which case I don't know what they would be called? The reason I ask is because in the attached picture, it looks like there are flaps are where the ailerons would usually be.
 

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They're outboard the flaps... you can see the small gap between the trailing edge flaps and the ailerons...
 
My roommate just explained to me what stablators (sp?) are.... he said that's what the -18 uses... Any confirmation, or is he blowin' smoke out his arse?
 
The stabilator is basically the elevator. It is what allows the plane to control the pitch. It is a stabilator because the whole thing moves which allows the pilot to control the pitch in super sonic flight. An elevator only has part of the horizontal stabilizer move. So I would say that your roommate is pulling his info out of somewhere I don't want to know about. I could be wrong, but that is how it is in general aviation and I thing there would have a different word for it if the stabilator really did control the bank.

If the ailerons on near the wing tips, then why are both of them down? Shouldn't they be opposite: one up one down, or equal?
 
The computer in the F/A-18 drops the ailerons to match the flaps when the flaps are lowered.

Remember, in the Hornet, the pilot makes suggestions to the computer and the computer flies the airplane.:D
 
M7Stanley said:
The stabilator is basically the elevator. It is what allows the plane to control the pitch. It is a stabilator because the whole thing moves which allows the pilot to control the pitch in super sonic flight. An elevator only has part of the horizontal stabilizer move. So I would say that your roommate is pulling his info out of somewhere I don't want to know about. I could be wrong, but that is how it is in general aviation and I thing there would have a different word for it if the stabilator really did control the bank.

If the ailerons on near the wing tips, then why are both of them down? Shouldn't they be opposite: one up one down, or equal?
Click to expand...

I had a long reply I was going to post to teach M7Stanley a wee bit, but this is just too annoying to participate in...

Good night.
 
I'll take this one for you schnugg, I'm bored right now...

M7Stanley said:
The stabilator is basically the elevator. It is what allows the plane to control the pitch. It is a stabilator because the whole thing moves which allows the pilot to control the pitch in super sonic flight.
Click to expand...



Right and wrong... the stabilator is for pitch, but the reason we have a full surface deflection over a partial is for maneuverability and total nose authority. Nose authority in slow speed flight in the Hornet is pretty amazing, and a lot of it is due to the stabs being able to take such a huge bite on the air, although much has to do with the LEX, the LEFs, TEFs, and the FCS as well. It has nothing to do with supersonic flight. Things that happen behind shock waves get pretty crazy... what that means for the stabs is that it requires very small inputs to produce any sort of pitch. Hence why the FCS is so great. Basically it takes the input you put into the stick and interprets it as "this is what the dude in my jet wants." Then it looks at about a hundred things from airspeed to alpha to altitude etc etc etc etc and then it says ok this is how I'm going to move any one (or combination thereof) of the 10 control surfaces to give the pilot what they want. So it all depends. The ailerons are drooping in that photo b.c they are acting as flaperons, ie they are giving extra lift to the jet because it's in slow speed flight at that point.
Just remember, the jet is way smarter than you are....
 
Nice shoo. FCS, LEX, TEF, LEF. You should add GPWS, MPCD, UFC, MU, and NACES to really get them confused.
 
Whoops, sorry about the confusion on the stabilator. I watched a movie or two that talked about what a revolutionary design it was. In fact, the movie said that it was key to going super sonic. I think that is where the confusion came from.

So I think I understand the answer to my question about how the FA-18 controls bank with the ailerons down is: the computer is smart and it will figure how to control the bank if it has to.

EDIT: I think I may have figured it out. If both ailerons are creating the same amount of lift in the down position, then in order to control the bank, one of the ailerons could just raise up a little bit and the plane would turn in a specific direction. So the right wing raises its aileron, the plane would begin to role to the right because the left wing is at a higher AOA than the right wing and thus creating more lift. Is that correct?
 
M7Stanley said:
So I think I understand the answer to my question about how the FA-18 controls bank with the ailerons down is: the computer is smart and it will figure how to control the bank if it has to.
Click to expand...

The ailerons still have some movement even when they are drooped. Basically less droop equals less lift equals wing down on that side.
 
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