Control harmonisation, a black art?
Over on the AH&N thread about the Chipmunk's 60th it has been said by a certain well known test and display pilot that the Chipmunk has the nicest control harmonisation of the many types he has flown. In these days of computer designing it would seem to be easy to ensure good, if not excellent, harmonisation. But back in the days when the Chippie was designed would this have been a matter of good luck?
Perhaps, or maybe obviously, it would be easier with an aeroplane having a fairly narrow speed range like the Chipmunk, than for a Hunter or Lightning? Also how much was (is) control harmonisation compromised in aircraft such as the Harrier or Phantom for the benefit of performance? The early powered controls must have given poor feed back, but was this improved with the later and modern systems to give good or even an artificial feel of harmonisation?