Z9EH HELICOPTER TRAINING MANUAL

CHAPTER 4 FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM

Operating Principles of Flight Control

The flight controls modify the main and tail rotor angles of attack allowing the pilot to
control aircraft flight by modifying its altitude, speed and heading.

The collective pitch lever (1) can simultaneously modify all the rotor blade angles of attack
to modify the magnitude of the rotor lift (Fn). The cyclic pitch stick (2) controls the rotor
disk tilt angle and the direction of the lift (Fn) by means of cyclic variations in blade angles
of attack. The lift (Fn) includes two components: a vertical component (S), and horizontal
component (V).

The function of yaw pedals (3) is to modify the direction and magnitude of the tail rotor
thrust (TY), thus controlling the aircraft heading.

Operating Principle of Main Rotor Control System

• Moving the cyclic stick fore-and-aft actuates the longitudinal linkage and controls the
swashplate motion at point B to obtain helicopter motion about the pitch axis. For

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example, the swashplate moves downward at points A when the cyclic stick is moved
forward. Points A and C remain stationary. The resulting cyclic variation of the blade
angles of attack tilts the rotor disk forward.

• Moving the cyclic stick to the left and the right actuates two lateral linkages and controls
the swashplate reverse motion at points A and C to obtain helicopter motion about the
roll axis. For example, pressing the cyclic stick to the right causes point A to move
downward and point C to move upward by the same amount. Point B remains stationary.
The resulting cyclic variation of the blade angles of attack tilts the rotor disk to the right.

• Moving the collective lever upward and downward causes all three points (A, B and C) to
move simultaneously by the equal amount. For example, pull up on the collective lever
causes the three points to move upward, thereby increasing the collective pitch.

For-and-aft movements of cyclic stick: the swashplate is driven to

move at point B and tilts the swashplate about the X axis.

Lateral movements of cyclic stick: swashplate is driven to move at

points A and C in opposite direction, and tilts about the Y axis.

Collective lever movements: swashplate is driven simultaneously at

points A, B and C, and moves parallel to itself without affecting cyclic
variation in the angle of attack.

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Operating Principle of Tail Rotor Control

When the right-hand pedal is pushed forward, the tail rotor pitch increases, pushing the
left-hand pedal forward produces the opposite result.

Main Rotor Controls System

The control linkages connecting the cyclic stick (10), collective lever (8) and the swashplate (3)
consist of rigid link rods and bellcranks. Each control linkage drives the swashplate through a
hydraulic servocontrols (1), (2) and (4) that provide the same actuating force. The basic
aircraft flight control system is a single-control design without autopilot. Dual controls and an
auto-pilot system are available as optional equipment.

The mixing units (5), (7) constitute the interface between the cyclic and collective pitch
controls and each control linkage can operate independently without interaction with the other
control linkage. For example, when the collective pitch is increased and decreased the
swashplate tilting angle is not affected (i.e. the cyclic pitch control remains unchanged), and
when the cyclic stick is moved the collective pitch value is not affected too (i.e. the swashplate
tilts, but the center remains at the same height).

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Roll channel control linkage

Pitch channel control linkage
Collective pitch control linkage
1. RH roll servocontrol 2. Pitch Servocontrol 3. Swashplate

4. LH roll servocontrol 5. LH mixing unit

6. Copilot′s collective pitch lever 7. RH mixing unit

8. Pilot′s collective pitch lever 9. Collective lever torque shaft

10. Pilot’s cyclic pitch stick 11. Cyclic stick torque shaft

12. RH roll linkage bellcrank assembly 13. Copilot′s cyclic pitch stick

14. LH roll linkage bellcrank assembly

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From the mixing units the collective pitch control uses the pitch and roll channel linkages.
Moving the collective lever causes the three servos to displace by equal amount driving the
swashplate to translate.

Operation of Main Rotor Control

The actions of the cyclic stick and the collective lever are as shown in the below figure.

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1. Lateral control of cyclic stick:

When the cyclic stick is pressed to the left, the LH & RH roll channel linkages move by equal
amounts in opposite direction, cause the swashplate to tilt toward the left on the Y axis which
passes through the pitch servocontrol mounting point. When the cyclic stick is pressed to the
right, the effect is contrary.
2. Fore & aft control of cyclic stick
When the cyclic stick is moved forward, the pitch channel linkages cause the swashplate to tilt
forward on X axis which passes through the two roll servocontrol mounting points. When the
cyclic stick is pulled backward, the effect is contrary.
3. Collective pitch lever
When the collective lever is pulled upward, the collective pitch value is increased and the
pitch and roll channel linkages from the mixing unit all move the same amount in the same
direction. The swashplate translates upward parallel to its initial position. When the collective
lever is pressed downward, effect is contrary.

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Components of Main Rotor Control System

1. Cyclic pitch control

B1. Lateral control rigging point B2. Longitudinal control rigging point
1. Cyclic pitch stick grip 2. Cyclic pitch stick 3. Bellow
4. Pilot′s cyclic stick pivot yoke 5. Bearing 6. Roll channel link rod
7. Roll channel link rod 8. Cyclic stick roll channel torque link
9. RH roll channel lever assembly 10. Cyclic stick torque tube
11. Copilot′s cyclic stick pivot yoke 12. Cam for controlling Microswitch (13)
13. Cyclic stick pitch channel position indicator microswitch (The indicator light is not

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lit when the cyclic stick moves 30% to70% of travel arc)
14. Pitch channel lever 15. Roll channel link rod
16. Pitch channel link rod 17. LH roll channel lever assembly
18. Roll channel link rod

Cyclic stick

The friction device adjustment handwheel (4) compresses the spring washer (5), forcing the
friction cups (7), (8), (9) against the friction ball joint (10). The resulting friction depends
on the amount of compression due to tightening the handwheel (4).

1. Cyclic stick grip 2. Cyclic stick 3. Adjustable friction lock

4. Friction lock adjustment handwheel 5. Spring washer 6. Thrust ring
7. Friction cup 8. Friction cup 9. Friction cup 10. Friction ball joint

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2. Collective pitch control

The tension of spring (8) counterbalances the weight of collective lever so that the lever
remains in any position when the friction lock (15) is loosened.

Tightening the twist grip adjuster (13) cause the moving shoe (17) pivot, clamping the
friction plate (20) between the fixed shoe (19) and the moving shoe. Spring washers (16)
are mounted to adjust the friction force. When the adjuster is fully loosened, the residual
friction spring (18) applies a specified residual friction force.

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1. `Torque shaft bearing 2.Collective lever “Low Pitch” retainer stud

3. Collective lever grip 4. Collective lever

5. Collective pitch indicator placard 6. Collective pitch pointer

7. Collective lever base housing 8. Collective lever balancing spring

9. Collective lever balancing device 10. LH collective channel rod

11. RH collective channel rod

12. Collective lever restraining strap ( fit onto stud (2))

13. Friction lock adjuster grip 14. Sliding blanking plates

15. Collective lever friction lock 16. Spring washer

17. Moving shoe and friction pad 18. Residual friction spring

19. Fixed shoe and friction pad 20. Friction plate secured to airframe

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3. Mixing units

Control channel stops on LH mixing unit

1. Bearing 2. RH roll channel bellcrank 3. RH torque shaft

4. Collective input lever 5. Collective link rod
6. RH roll channel link rod 7. LH torque shaft
8. Collective channel stop pin 9. Collective pitch stop plate
10. Pitch channel bellcrank 11. LH roll channel bellcrank
12. Roll channel stop plate 13. Roll channel stop pin
14. LH roll channel link rod 15. Pitch channel link rod
16. Pitch channel stop pin 17. Collective link rod
18. Collective input lever 19. Locating holes for fixture

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“Limit” indicator light

In high flight, steep maneuvers (i.e. short radius maneuvers) generate heavy structure stress
loads capable of resulting in accident if this stress is too big. The main rotor loading
increases with the load factor. When the aircraft reaches its maneuverability limit the pilot is
warned by a load sensor mounted on the RH roll channel servocontrol.

When the servocontrol reaches the permissible load threshold, a warning light illuminates on

the instrument panel to inform the pilot that he must either reduce the pitch setting or leave
the maneuver.

The another function of the LIMIT light is to inform the pilot that the cyclic stick is too far
forward or aft at all times during taxiing on the ground. At this moment, the rotor force is
excessively inclined and the potentially damaging bending loads are introduced in the arms
of the Starflex rotor head. This is because on the ground, unlike in flight, tilting the rotor disk
does not modify the aircraft attitude, so that the loads sustained by the Starflex rotor head are
substantially higher.
The microswitch in cyclic pitch longitudinal position indicator is closed and the LIMIT
indicator light comes on when the cyclic stick is moved too far aft (i.e. between 0 and 30%
of its travel range) or too far forward (i.e. beyond 70% of its travel range). In order to
switch off the light the pilot must return the cyclic stick to its permissible control range.

1. Load indication

The RH servocontrol end fitting comprises a small actuator (5) supplied from the RH
hydraulic power system.

When the load (F) on the servocontrol is below the permissible limit, the hydraulic pressure
(P) prevails and moves the piston against its upper stop. The micro-switch (2) is closed,

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relay contact (1) is opened and the LIMIL indicator light is off.

If the load (F) exceeds the permissible limit, the piston is pushed downward. The
micro-switch is opened, the relay contact (1) is closed and the LIMIT indicator light comes
on. A return spring (3) can support the piston in the absence of hydraulic pressure.

A metering orifice (4) damps out the pressure drops that occur during high speed servo
movement to prevent untimely illumination of the LIMIT indicator light.

Note: To test the circuit it is necessary to press on the indicator light which installed as a
push button to cut out relay (1)excitation.

2. Cyclic stick limit position indication during taxiing on the ground.

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On the ground, microswitch (3) closes the LIMIT light circuit by compression of the LH
landing gear shock absorber. Microswitch (2), actuated by cam (1) remains open as long as
the cyclic stick moves inside the 30% - 70% range on the fore and aft axis. The indicator
light is off.

Moving the cyclic stick outside the 30% - 70% range closes microswitch (2) and The
LIMIT indicator light comes on.

In flight, the LH landing gear shock absorber is fully extended, microswitch (3) opens,
disabling the system.

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Tail Rotor Control System

The yaw pedals (5), (6) are connected to the tail servolcontrol (7) by a rigid control linkage
consisting of link rods (4) and bellcranks (1).

1. Bellcranks 2. Bellows (Leaktight bulkhead connection)

3. Link rod guide seat 4. link rod 5. Pilot′s yaw pedal unit
6. Copilot′s yaw pedal unit 7. Tail servocontrol
8. Tail rotor pitch-change 9. Copilot′s pedal unit bellcrank
10. Pedal unit torque link 11. Pilot′s pedal unit bellcrank

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