777 inboard aileron?

Good luck with your license mate. 🙂

Thank you very much to all that answered.
So, it’s a flaperon? As such, it works like a flap (if both are deployed symmetrically) and as an aileiron (if they are used asymmetrically)? Is that it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8CFLd2S-JA

This video shows it going a bit up, by the way.

I had the choice of 747 or 340 when I joined but chose the Bus even though I came from Boeings before. Thank god I did.
Not keen on the 330 as although it’s a great machine it doesn’t give the lifestyle I’m after. I reckon the 330 is a short term stop gap until the 350, which is where I think the future lies. Have recently been offered a 320 command with a new operation based out of Larnaca operating primarily to Russia and western Europe but having just bought my dream home in south east UK I’m not really interested in expat lifestyles.

Excellent explanation wysiwyg, thanks very much. I knew the basic aerodynamic functions of an aircrafts movable surfaces, but never in that much detail.

Thanks for the info Ian.

Ah still up the top the seniority list then, I hear alot of skippers at Virgin are now in their early 40s meaning a long time to command, is that right?
Things all ok here, still with Flybe on the Gash 8. I have my Command Assessment in 3 weeks so fingers crossed that goes well. I need to change seats or change airlines, but the industry is dead for experienced pilots without a bus rating at the moment as you know. I’ve only had an offer from Jet2 on the 757 so far which I turned down.
What’s happening with the 330s at Virgin? Will they be for fleet replacements or any extras coming along? If there’s extras that should help your plight for the left seat I guess. You still on the 744?

Cheers mate.

Dean, been sitting near the top of the seniority list for years with nothing going anywhere. How about you?
Will sit tight and wait for things to happen. Not that bothered really as life is relatively easy and seniority gives me what I want. My personal belief/hope is that I’ll see out my career on the A350. Haven’t heard anything about 787’s for ages but I believe they are still on the cards. Never hear anyone excited about them though.

Yes you are right. I was assuming it was similar to the 767 and 747 but here is the relavant bit from the 777 manual…

Flight Control Surfaces

Pitch control is provided by:
• two elevators
• a movable horizontal stabilizer.

Roll control is provided by:
• two flaperons
• two ailerons
• fourteen spoilers.

Yaw control is provided by:
• single rudder
• partial span tab.

The two elevators and horizontal stabilizer work together to provide pitch control. A detailed description of pitch control is given in a separate section later in this chapter. The flaperons and ailerons provide roll control, assisted by asymmetric spoilers. The flaperons are located between the inboard and outboard flaps on both wings. In the normal mode, they are used for roll control with the flaps either retracted or extended. For increased lift, the flaperons move down and aft in proportion to trailing edge flap extension. The ailerons are located outboard of the outboard flaps on each wing. For increased lift, the ailerons move down for flaps 5, 15, and 20, to improve takeoff performance. In the normal mode, the ailerons and spoilers 5 and 10 are locked out during high–speed flight; the flaperons and remaining spoilers provide sufficient roll control. During low speed flight, these panels augment roll control. Yaw control is provided by a single rudder, which is almost the same height as the vertical tail. The lower portion of the rudder has a hinged section (tab) that deflects twice as far as the main rudder surface to provide additional yaw control authority. During takeoff, the rudder becomes aerodynamically effective at approximately 60 knots. Flaps and slats provide high lift for takeoff, approach, and landing.
Symmetric spoilers are used as speedbrakes.

Ian, long time no see, how you doing? How’s the divorce machine? Got your command yet?

Ian I think the 777 is slightly different to the 744 in the fact that these “flaperons” do not travel full movement, they only go downwards. The 744s move both ways (don’t they?) hence the term “Inboard Ailerons”. All of the 777s ailerons droop at trailing edge flap extention.

It is an inboard aileron. They feature on larger Boeings and are used for roll control at higher speed. If the outer ailerons were used at high speed then too much wing twist would be induced. More clever designs don’t require inboard ailerons because their computers automatically limit control travel as a function of indicated airspeed as well as drooping ailerons with flaps when required.

AFAIK, it is actually called an “inboard airelon”.
It is used when the aircraft is at slower speeds (Approach for example) for increased maneuverability.
It sits directly in the path of the engine thrust so may even act as a sort of thrust vectoring mechanism.

I stand to be corrected however.

And you will find that at high speeds they are all that operate for normal roll rates though I guess in emergency a full throw of the yoke would bring in the outboard one as well. Oops sorry thinking of older generation of machines. In a Tri-Star they will move up and down but do not move with the flaps and no roll control spoilers. At their cruising speed it is surprising how little area control surfaces require to be effective.

It also has a Trim tab for even finer tuning.

My highlight of flying is watching the trailing edge in action.

It’s a flaperon

The purpose, aircraft need to be versatile, for example, they need to fly slow to be able to land, and they need to fly fast to be commercially viable (amongst other things). This means you need a wing that can do both.

These flaperons on the 777 will only move downwards. If a take-off flap setting is selected they will move downwards together. They will remain there until all trailing edge flaps have been retracted.
When airbourne and at high dynamic pressures (not sure what this speed is) the outboard ailerons will lock out (in the neutral position) and the aircraft will then be controlled in roll by the flaperons and roll spoilers.

Hope this helps.

AFAIK, it is actually called an “inboard airelon”.
It is used when the aircraft is at slower speeds (Approach for example) for increased maneuverability.
It sits directly in the path of the engine thrust so may even act as a sort of thrust vectoring mechanism.

I stand to be corrected however.