PDA

View Full Version : Flight Attitude


Eil Hafanother
2nd Apr 2013, 10:42
When a large airliner say, 747/A380 is in flight, and passengers, cabin crew with carts etc are moving about:
(A) Does the CofG of the aircraft alter enough to make a difference to the trim and alter the in flight attitude.
(B) Is it only fore and aft trim effected or is the movement enough to effect the transverse component also
(C) If the CofG does alter enough to effect the attitude is it a dead weight/cable operated or a fluid transfer/pumped system that is used.


Apologies if it has been covered before but couldn't find anything in the search.

Many Thanks

Intruder
2nd Apr 2013, 16:57
CG constantly shifts, from fuel consumption/transfer as well as passenger movement. The pilot (whether human or auto) constantly makes corrections, though they are very small and incremental. For a human pilot, it is simply pressure on the yoke, with an occasional use of trim. For the autopilot, it is a constant adjustment of all flight controls.

Lateral changes are virtually imperceptible.

In the big picture, normal air movement is a greater influence on airplane movement than the minor/incremental changes in internal trim.