Originally Posted by
dozing4dollars
In other aircraft the elevator has a dynamic limiter. The Q limiter. Q is the airodynamic force. This is a combination of airspeed and density altitude. The same as the force sensed by the pitot tube. The purpose of the Q limiter is to limit the maximum elevator angle. At lower Q the pilot has full authority over the elevator but as Q increases, the angle is limited.
In ithe scenario where an aircraft is low and fast the elevator deflection available is limited. It should be noted that elevator deflection is based on deflection from the trimmed position of the stabilizer.
Got it, thanks for expanding. What I was wanting to know was if you were pointing to an explicit command limit within the control system that would keep from asking more of the elevator actuators than they can deliver vs. a system that asks for everything that is available and takes what it gets when elevator actuators are driven with full available hydraulic pressure. I am familiar with both types of systems. In the case of the 737 the limit is hydro-mechanical in that the elevator actuator control valves are wide open but the elevator hinge moment is more than the actuators can deliver so the surface ends up at a less than full travel position. I am familiar with this being referred to as either "blowdown" or "blowback". Note that if you are flying with high enough dynamic pressure for that to be the limiting factor and you command full elevator with full column and you hold that column and you speed up, the elevator deflection will decrease as dynamic pressure increases. With reference to Star Trek, that's when Scotty says "She's give'n you all there is, there just isn't any more to be had." Glad to provide this answer once I was certain of your question.