Yeah, the ol'beast has
wind powered primary flight controls (but for the rudder, hydraulic in normal mode, but falls back to control tab in case of P loss or by a cockpit commanded lever).
"Black_Dawn", the elevator is not
servo-tab controlled
. The servo-tab (called geared tab on the MD's elevator) is only installed to relieve some of the required force applied to the control column. The elevator is controlled (well more or less, again dependent on the movement of the air around the craft) by the control tab, logical eh?
Even more interesting is the Anti-float tab that is deflected mechanically once the stabilizer reaches 10-12.5° ANU trim and serves also to assit the deflection of the elevator as it starts getting blanked off by the LE of the stabilizer...
Well, I guess this shows once more how the american industry manages over the years to transform a perfectly good (albeit too small) aeroplane such as the DC-9 series into an MD having probably one of the most appaling rate of roll and pitch of all flying craft
Two nice things about the MD: Quitest in the pointed end. And what a beautiful shape
