"BE GENTLE WITH ME, HENRY!!!!"
Have I missed something during the long transition from mil to civil aviation?
Or possibly neurons dissolved by too much sleeping lotion has erased the memory?
As far back as I can recall, rudder use in swept-wing aircraft was a delicate subject, as was the teaching of its use on the same 'frames.
On the Gnat Advanced training course in the RAF, we were given ONE demo of its use and effects at high altitude (to allow for the subsequent recovery if needed!) and that was it. Yes, squeeze it to remove drift before X-wind touchdown, but no more. The skin of the fin was cutaway on those 'frames with cracks in the attachment brackets, so we could compare them during walkaround, having "memorised" the crack shape and extent as we signed out the tech log in the line hut. Any noticeable discrepancy and it was back to the hut for another, please?!
This was as a result of fatalities due to fin separation in previous accidents as the phenominal rate of roll of that aircraft was the perceived cause of the early fatigueing.
Now it appears from the A300 accident that coarse and assertive rudder use was at one time being trained as an upset recovery technique. Where did the disconnect intrude into the mind of those who thought this was an acceptable and beneficial method of regaining control of a swept-wing public transport medium to heavy aircraft?
Forward the tape to the 90s and the recommendation from Mr Boeing that the full&free rudder check on the 747 should take 2 seconds from neutral to full deflection, both ways, and avoid crashing the rudders against the stops with coarse inputs.
This was apparently introduced as the routine inspections luckily discovered the PFCU attachment brackets were cracking as the barn doors on the 747 VS assembly were being crashed from side to side against the stops by the inadequately trained gorillas then operating them.
Fast forward the tape (yes I know, VHS-speak!) to today, and observe the massive rudder on the 73NG being slammed against the stops by the current crop of Captains, and if you don't see it from outside, then try sitting in the seats in the aft row and FEEL and HEAR the clunk as they hit the stops.
It gives me the chills when I feel it, and I am forced to ask what are the type-rating trainers and the line trainers up to by allowing this crass, clumsy and careless handling?
It all goes to show that there are some lessons in this game which we have forgotten, at our peril, when it comes to having respect for the flying controls and their effectiveness.
Are there any NG engineers out there who can reassure me the NG rudder assembly is NOT suffering from this abuse so that I'll sleep easier?