Originally Posted by DozyWannabe
Originally Posted by thermostat
The screwjack should have placed at the trailing edge, not the leading edge, just as the rudder of a plane or boat is aft of the rudder post.
You can't fit it aft of the rudder post because there's no room. I'm having a little trouble understanding this theory of yours - could you humour me and go into a little more detail?
As far as I can tell, mounting it aft would cause the same failure mode to force the stab to nose-up and stall the aircraft rather than nose-down into a dive.
I think I know what he means. After the screwjack was forcefully disconnected, had the hinge point not been so far aft on the stabilizer, it would not have been pushed against the next available mechanical stop, but would have swung freely, like a weather vane.
I don't know if I like that scenario better, btw., because it seems to leave the crew with no pitch control at all.