The ability for an aircraft to be able to fly based on the pilots input is what

differentiates it from a fire-and-forget missile system. An aircrafts flight controls

and control surface systems are the essential components that steer it in the air
about the three major axis. Any aircraft is able to perform three major maneuvers,
the Pitch, Roll and Yaw. Pitch and Roll are controlled by the main control stick, and
the Yaw through pedals, the reacting flight control surfaces respectively are the
Elevators, Ailerons and Rudder. The elevator which is situated on the emphanage,
provides the pitch control, when the Flap is in the wake of the aircrafts wing. Pitch
up moment is associated with horizontal tail down force, principally changing the
angle of attack of the aircraft. The ailerons provide the necessary roll control, when
one aileron goes up the other one goes down, the principal effect is to change the
roll rate. There is a phenomenon called adverse yaw where the rolling motion
towards one side causes an induced drag increase on the other side, which yaws
the aircraft in the opposite roll direction without any rudder input. The Rudder
provides yaw control, turn coordination, countering adverse yaw, providing cross
wind correction and also countering yaw due to engine loss. Rudders principle
effect is to change the sideslip angle; it is also located on the emphanage. Apart
from the three main control surfaces there are spoilers, designed for speed control
and lift reduction by increasing drag. Control systems to control the surfaces have
evolved with time, there are Mechanical, Boost and Powered systems. The
mechanical systems had push rods, bell cranks, cables ad pulleys, such methods
were used for older planes. The boost mechanism is when a pilots input is
augmented by hydraulic servo that minimizes manual force applied. Fully powered
or Fly-by-wire system works without direct mechanical linkages from the pilot to
controls surfaces and purely through electrical buses, there are command input and
feedback signals that drive servo actuators, fully powered systems with minimal
mechanical parts. On the Boeing 737-800 NG, the primary flight controls are
inputted through a conventional control wheel and pedals with mechanical linkages
to hydraulic power control units that are then connected to primary flight surfaces.
The flight controls are powered by redundant hydraulic sources. There are two
redundant systems A and B, either of them can operate all primary flight controls.

The basic controls available to the pilot, to control all aspect of flight controls are as
listed below.

Two Control columns & Two Control wheels: Columns and wheels are
connected through transfer mechanisms which allow the pilots to bypass
jammed control or surface.
Two pairs of rudder pedals: A rigid connection exists between both pairs of
rudder pedals.
Speed brake lever: allows manual or automatic symmetric actuation of
spoilers. While in the air symmetric spoiler are used as speed brakes, ground
spoilers destroy lift and increase braking efficiency.
Flap lever
STAB TRIM cut-out switches
STAB TRIM override switches
Stabilizer trim switches
Stabilizer trim wheel
AILERON trim switches
RUDDER trim control
YAW DAMPER switch
ALTERNATE FLAPS master switch
Alternate flaps position switch
FLT CONTROL switches (A and B)
Flight SPOILER switches

The primary flight controls available for the 737-800NG are:

Pitch Control: Two elevators and a horizontal stabilizer control the overall pitch of
the aircraft. The pitch elevators are controlled by forward and aft movement of the
control stick. The stabilizer is controlled by trim set manually or via autopilot.
Elevators provide pitch control about the lateral axis, they are controlled by the
pilots control columns. The hydraulic shutoff valve systems for the elevators are
controlled by the flight control switches A and B. Control columns are connected to
the power control units through cables, the PCUs power the Hydraulic Systems A
and B. Elevators in the emphanage are interconnected using a torque tube. Elevator
feel system presents a simulated aerodynamic force using airspeed and stabilizer
position. The simulated feel is transmitted to the columns by the elevator feel and
centering unit, the simulated feel computer uses the pressure of the either hydraulic
systems A or B, which ever is higher. Supposed loss of hydraulic systems A and B for
elevators can be mechanically positioned by the forward and aft motion of the
control column, but forces are higher due to friction and aerodynamic loads.
Suppose there is a control column jam, an override procedure allows the control
columns to be physically separated. Force application of the control column against
the jam will free either of the two columns, thus the free column can be used for
control. In the case that either the hydraulic system or elevator feel system fail, an
excessive differential hydraulic pressure is sensed and a FEEL DIFF PRESS light
warning is presented in the cockpit.
Stabilizer: A critical system in the pitching and load balancing of an aircraft is the
movable horizontal stabilizer trim control. The stabilizer is used to keep a body in a
steady or stable position to preserve equilibrium. A control jackscrew moves the
leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer as a trim. The operation can be carried out
manually by using the two trim wheels which operate the stabilizers gearbox and
jackscrew through cables and pulleys. Electrically via the yoke trim or autopilot
command to the stabilizer electrical trim actuator, the power sources are AC power
via the AC transfer Bus 2 or DC control- DC Bus 2. Manual rotation can be used to
override the autopilot or main electric trim, manual rotation will require more effort
from the pilots, due to aerodynamic forces. The operation of the stabilizer is limited
to

4.2

up and

12.9

down from the neutral axis of the stabilizer leading edge.

Stabilizer trim switches situated on the control wheel actuate the electric trim motor
through the main electric stabilizer whilst the aircraft is flown manually. When the
autopilot is engaged, the stabilizer trim is accomplished through the autopilot
stabilizer trim circuit. The main electric and autopilot stabilizer trim circuit have two
speed modes; high speed with flaps deployed and low speed with flaps retracted. If
the autopilot is engaged actuating either pair of stabilizer trim switches
automatically disengages the autopilot. The stabilizer trim can be overridden by
toggling the trim override switch on the aft electronic panel, this is done in the case
of the need where a counter movement of trim is needed opposite to the control
column movement. The override option can be used to by-pass the control column
actuated stabilizer trim cut-out switches in the event both the yoke switch and
autopilot fail to open position, to be able to operate the stab trim.

Roll Control: Roll occurs along the longitudinal axis. Two ailerons and eight flight
spoilers compose this system. The two control columns operate the ailerons and
flight spoilers through hydraulics. The control wheel is connected by cables to the
ailerons power control unit (PCU), along with the aileron feel and centering unit.
The other control wheel is controlled by the first officer which is connected through
cables to spoiler PCUs in conjunction with the spoiler mixer. Both the controls
wheels are connected by cables by a cable drive system which allows actuation of
both ailerons and spoilers by either control wheel. Ailerons and elevators may be
operated manually if needed. The rudder may be operated by a standby hydraulic
system, if systems A and B are not available. In the event of system B failure, the
flaps can be operated electronically. In the case of total hydraulic failure, the
ailerons can be mechanically positioned by rotating the control wheels, forces are
heavier due to friction and aerodynamic loads. In the case that spoilers or ailerons
are jammed, the force applied to the control wheel by the crew members will
identify which system is usable and through which control wheel. If the ailerons
control system is jammed, force applied to the first officers control wheel provides
the control from the spoilers. If the spoiler system is jammed, force applied from the
captains control wheel provides roll control from the ailerons.
Aileron Trim: The trim switches, located on the aft electronic panel, must be
pushed simultaneously to command trim changes, thus electrically repositioning the
aileron feel and centering unit, rotating the controls wheel and redefining the
aileron neutral position. The required trim amount is indicated on a scale on the top
of the control column. If trim is used once autopilot is engaged, the trim is not
reflected in control wheel position. The autopilot overpowers the trim and holds the
control wheel where it is required for heading/track control. Any aileron trim applied
once the autopilot is engaged can result in an out of trim condition and abrupt
rolling movement occurs when the autopilot is disengaged.

Yaw control: Accomplished by a hydraulically powered rudder and a digital yaw

damper system, it is controlled by sliding the rudder pedals up and down. The Yaw
damping functions are controlled through the stall management/yaw damper
computers. During takeoff, the rudder is automatically operational between 40 to 60
knots for ground alignment. The rudder provides motion about the vertical axis. A
and B flight control switches control the hydraulic shut off valves for the rudder and
standby rudder. The rudder pedals are connected by cables to the power control
units of both the rudder while the standby hydraulic provides power to the standby
rudder system. Full rudder authority is limited to approximately until about a
135knots is reached by the aircraft, both during take off and landing. There is a
standby hydraulic system which is provided as backup when system A and or B
pressure are lost.
Rudder Trim: The rudder trim control, located on the aft electronic panel,
electrically repositions the rudder feel and centering unit which adjusts the rudder
neutral position. The rudder pedals are displaced proportionally. The RUDDER TRIM
indicator displays the rudder trim position in units.
Yaw Damper: Aircraft that experience the Dutch roll tendency (Adverse yaw) are
generally equipped with gyro stabilized yaw dampers. Since the 737 NG also
experiences the Dutch Roll tendency it is equipped with two yaw dampers, one
primary and one standby. The Yaw damper keeps the aircraft stable about the
vertical axis when engaged through the respective hydraulic system which are
pressurized through a minimum SMYD generated rudder input. When engaged in
NORMAL OPERATION mode, the primary yaw damper provides input to the main
rudders PCU solenoid valve and is controlled by the SMYD. The input solenoid valve
uses hydraulic system B to move the yaw damper actuator, which builds on the
mechanical input to the rudder. Consisting of the main and standby yaw damper,
both are controlled through the Stall Management and Yaw Damper (SMYD)
computers SMYD 1 and SMYD 2. The SMYD computers receive inputs from both Air
Data inertial reference unit (ADIRUs), both controls wheels and Yaw damper switch.
SMYDs provide damper inputs to main rudder power control unit (PCU) or standby
rudder PCU as needed. Yaw damper operation does not result in rudder pedal
movement. Only main yaw damper inputs are shown on the yaw damper indicator.
The pilot can override either main or standby using any of the rudder pedals or trim
inputs. During normal operation hydraulic system B is used by the Yaw damper
whilst the SMYD computers provide system monitoring. While the standby rudder is
operating, movement in the control wheel sends a signal to the standby rudder PCU
to move the rudder. This gives the rudder assist to help turn the aircraft when the
control of the ailerons is through manual reversion. In any case the yaw damper
input to the rudder movement is limited to
down.

with flaps up and

with flaps

Speed Brakes: The speed brake systems compose of ground spoilers and flight
spoilers, the two systems A and B operate each set of spoiler systems, they provide
isolation and maintain symmetric operation when the hydraulic system fails.
Hydraulic system A provides control for all four ground spoilers, paired two on each
wing. The SPEED BRAKE lever controls the spoilers. When the speed brake lever is
actuated while the aircraft is on the ground, the ground spoilers are extended.
When the lever is actuated whilst in the air, the flight spoilers are extended. The
SPEEDBRAKES EXTENDED indication light signals the spoiler is operational on the
ground or in flight.
There are four spoilers located in the upper surface, the two hydraulic systems A
and B are dedicated to each set of spoiler pairs to give isolation and maintain
symmetric operation in the event of hydraulic system failure. Spoiler hydraulic
pressure shutoff valves are controlled by the two flight SPOILER switches. A spoiler
mixer, connected to the aileron through a cable controls the hydraulic power control
units on each spoiler to provide movement proportional to aileron.
Secondary flight controls, high lift devices, consisting of trailing edge flaps and
leading edge flaps and slats, are all powered by hydraulic system B. In some
conditions the power transfer unit automatically powers the leading edge devices.