Flight controls of the Wright Flyer and 152's

[Zhuntar]

akimmins asked this question on 10/1/2000:
Hi I am writing a paper on the phenomenon of adverse yaw and different methods of yountering it. I know that the wright flyer had a wing morphing flight control system mechanically linked to the rudder to counter act the yawing motion, any more information on how the system worked?
Also if possible I was told that the Cessna 152's and the de Havilland Tiger Moth also have a mechansim to counter adverse yaw would you have any more info about the effect and the methods used to counter act it would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance
Alex

[Skycop]

Sorry, can't help with the Wright Flyer as it's a bit before my time.

However, differential ailerons are the usual method. This simply means that the aileron going "up" has more movement than the one going "down". This helps reduce the amount of increased drag on the up-going wing which is where the adverse yaw comes from in the first place.

Some aircraft had coupled ailerons and rudder (the Allons Ercoupe from the '30s was one - and yes I have flown one but it was 40 years old!).

Or you can go fly-by-wire where you can do whatever is required by magic / software.

[DB6]

Don't know about the Wright Flyer but the C152 has Frise ailerons i.e. there is a bit of the aileron ahead of the hingeline which sticks down into the airflow below the wing when the aileron moves up, thus dragging that (downgoing) wing back and opposing the lift-generated drag on the upgoing wing. Good eh ?

[foxmoth]

DH82a has a lot of differential on the ailerons - but you still need the rudder in a turn.
(this ? is probably better in the tech log forum)

[This message has been edited by foxmoth (edited 03 October 2000).]