A yoke, alternatively known as a control wheel or a control column, is a device used for piloting some fixed-wing aircraft.[1]
The "W" shaped control yoke of a Boeing 737. Note the checklists in the middle.Collection of control yokes at Boeing Future of Flight Museum: 747, 707, B-29, Trimotor. The former two yokes are "W" shaped, while the latter two are circular.The cockpit of Concorde, which has an "M"-shaped yoke mounted on a control columnThe cockpit of an Embraer ERJ with an "M"-shaped yoke"W"/"U" style yoke in a Cessna 152 light aircraft, mounted on a horizontal tube protruding from the instrumental panelCircular, steering-wheel type yoke in a 1940s Lisunov Li-2Cirrus SR22 panel showing both side yokesCessna 162 Skycatcher instrument panel
The pilot uses the yoke to control the attitude of the plane, usually in both pitch and roll. Rotating the control wheel controls the ailerons and the roll axis. Fore and aft movement of the control column controls the elevator and the pitch axis.[1] When the yoke is pulled back, the nose of the aircraft rises. When the yoke is pushed forward, the nose is lowered. When the yoke is turned left, the plane rolls to the left, and when it is turned to the right, the plane rolls to the right.
Small to medium-size aircraft, usually limited to propeller-driven, feature a mechanical system whereby the yoke is connected directly to the control surfaces with cables and rods. Human muscle power alone is not enough for larger and more powerful aircraft, so hydraulic systems are used, in which yoke movements control hydraulic valves and actuators. In more modern aircraft, inputs may first be sent to a fly-by-wire system, which then sends a corresponding signal to actuators attached to the control surfaces. Yokes may feature a stick shaker, which is designed to help indicate the onset of stall, or even a stick pusher, which physically pushes the yoke to prevent a stall.
Yokes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the most common being of a "U" or "W" design. Some aircraft use a "ram's horn" style yoke, shaped like an "M", such as Embraer aircraft and the Concorde. There are some rarer exotic or archaic styles, such as circular or semi-circular designs, much like a steering wheel.
In larger aircraft they are usually mounted on a post protruding vertically from the floor, referred to as a control column. In most other planes, they are mounted on a horizontal tube that comes out of the instrument panel.
Side-sticks and centre-sticks are better for making rapid control inputs and dealing with high g-forces, hence their use in military, sport, and aerobatic aircraft. However, yokes are less sensitive (i.e., more precise) due to a larger range of motion and provide more visual feedback to the pilot.[7]
Most yokes are connected and will both move together, thus providing instant indication to the other pilot when one makes a control input. This is in contrast to some fly-by-wire control sticks that allow each pilot to send different, and sometimes greatly conflicting, inputs. Competing inputs are signaled on Airbus craft.
Yokes take up more room than side-sticks in the cockpit and may even obscure some instruments; by comparison, side-sticks have minimal cockpit intrusion, allowing the inclusion of retractable tray-tables and making it easier to enter/leave small cockpits.[8][9]
A yoke, unlike a side-stick, may be used comfortably with either hand. This can be useful if one needs to write or manipulate other controls in the cockpit. This advantage is shared with the center-stick.[7]
Ancillary functions
The yoke often incorporates other key functions such as housing thumb or finger buttons to enable the radio microphone, disengage the autopilot, and trim the aircraft. In addition, there may be a clipboard, checklist, or chronometer located in the yoke's center.[10][11][12][13]
Alternative control systems
Yokes are not used on all aircraft. Helicopters use a cyclic[14] and the majority of military fighter aircraft use a center or side-stick. Some light aircraft use a stick due to pilot preference. The latest Airbus family of passenger jets use a side-stick, similar to a joystick, to actuate control surfaces.[15][16]
^ abCrane, Dale: Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition, page 563. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ISBN1-56027-287-2.
^"10 Ways that the SR22 Changed Flying". Flying. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
^"Detailed Comparison of the Cessna TTx and Cirrus SR22T G5 | High Performance Aviation, LLC". High Performance Aviation. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
^"Flight Test: G5 Cirrus SR22T". Pilot. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
^Larson, George C. "A Flight In A Skycatcher". Air & Space Magazine. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
^"Aircraft Spotlight: The Cessna 162 Skycatcher - A Modern, Cost Effective Trainer". www.aopa.org. 19 November 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
^ abMc Clellan, J. Mac (May 2008). "New Gulfstream, p. 52". Flying Magazine. 135 (5): 52–57. Retrieved 7 July 2012. ... sidesticks don't provide visual feedback and actually don't move much at all as they respond to the pressure applied by the human pilot ... in the G650 when you grab the yoke and move it, the one on the other side will respond just as it does on a conventional airplane.
^"Learning To Fly In A Cirrus SR22". planeandpilotmag.com.
^"Gear Up: One Big Airplane Training in US Airways' newest A330 simulator". flyingmag.com.
^Picture of the Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER aircraft
^Picture of the Lockheed C-130H Hercules (L-382) aircraft
^Picture of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 aircraft
^"Fly-by-wire - A CIVIL AVIATION FIRST". Airbus / Innovation / Proven concepts / In design / Fly-by-wire. Airbus. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
^Flying the Airbus side stick - the one with the fastest thumb wins!
August 23, 2023
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A yoke alternatively known as a control wheel or a control column is a device used for piloting some fixed wing aircraft 1 The W shaped control yoke of a Boeing 737 Note the checklists in the middle Collection of control yokes at Boeing Future of Flight Museum 747 707 B 29 Trimotor The former two yokes are W shaped while the latter two are circular The cockpit of Concorde which has an M shaped yoke mounted on a control columnThe cockpit of an Embraer ERJ with an M shaped yoke W U style yoke in a Cessna 152 light aircraft mounted on a horizontal tube protruding from the instrumental panelCircular steering wheel type yoke in a 1940s Lisunov Li 2Cirrus SR22 panel showing both side yokesCessna 162 Skycatcher instrument panelThe pilot uses the yoke to control the attitude of the plane usually in both pitch and roll Rotating the control wheel controls the ailerons and the roll axis Fore and aft movement of the control column controls the elevator and the pitch axis 1 When the yoke is pulled back the nose of the aircraft rises When the yoke is pushed forward the nose is lowered When the yoke is turned left the plane rolls to the left and when it is turned to the right the plane rolls to the right Small to medium size aircraft usually limited to propeller driven feature a mechanical system whereby the yoke is connected directly to the control surfaces with cables and rods Human muscle power alone is not enough for larger and more powerful aircraft so hydraulic systems are used in which yoke movements control hydraulic valves and actuators In more modern aircraft inputs may first be sent to a fly by wire system which then sends a corresponding signal to actuators attached to the control surfaces Yokes may feature a stick shaker which is designed to help indicate the onset of stall or even a stick pusher which physically pushes the yoke to prevent a stall Contents 1 Styles 2 Advantages and disadvantages 3 Ancillary functions 4 Alternative control systems 5 See also 6 ReferencesStyles EditYokes come in a variety of shapes and sizes the most common being of a U or W design Some aircraft use a ram s horn style yoke shaped like an M such as Embraer aircraft and the Concorde There are some rarer exotic or archaic styles such as circular or semi circular designs much like a steering wheel In larger aircraft they are usually mounted on a post protruding vertically from the floor referred to as a control column In most other planes they are mounted on a horizontal tube that comes out of the instrument panel In the case of the Cirrus SR20 and Cirrus SR22 although the control looks like a side stick it works like a yoke handle referred to in the industry as a side yoke 2 3 4 The Cessna 162 uses a similar device 5 6 Advantages and disadvantages EditSide sticks and centre sticks are better for making rapid control inputs and dealing with high g forces hence their use in military sport and aerobatic aircraft However yokes are less sensitive i e more precise due to a larger range of motion and provide more visual feedback to the pilot 7 Most yokes are connected and will both move together thus providing instant indication to the other pilot when one makes a control input This is in contrast to some fly by wire control sticks that allow each pilot to send different and sometimes greatly conflicting inputs Competing inputs are signaled on Airbus craft Yokes take up more room than side sticks in the cockpit and may even obscure some instruments by comparison side sticks have minimal cockpit intrusion allowing the inclusion of retractable tray tables and making it easier to enter leave small cockpits 8 9 A yoke unlike a side stick may be used comfortably with either hand This can be useful if one needs to write or manipulate other controls in the cockpit This advantage is shared with the center stick 7 Ancillary functions EditThe yoke often incorporates other key functions such as housing thumb or finger buttons to enable the radio microphone disengage the autopilot and trim the aircraft In addition there may be a clipboard checklist or chronometer located in the yoke s center 10 11 12 13 Alternative control systems EditYokes are not used on all aircraft Helicopters use a cyclic 14 and the majority of military fighter aircraft use a center or side stick Some light aircraft use a stick due to pilot preference The latest Airbus family of passenger jets use a side stick similar to a joystick to actuate control surfaces 15 16 There are also computer input devices designed to simulate a yoke intended for flight simulators See also EditIndex of aviation articles Aircraft flight control system HOTAS an acronym for hands on throttle and stick Rudder pedalsReferences Edit a b Crane Dale Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms third edition page 563 Aviation Supplies amp Academics 1997 ISBN 1 56027 287 2 10 Ways that the SR22 Changed Flying Flying Retrieved 13 March 2018 Detailed Comparison of the Cessna TTx and Cirrus SR22T G5 High Performance Aviation LLC High Performance Aviation Retrieved 13 March 2018 Flight Test G5 Cirrus SR22T Pilot Retrieved 13 March 2018 Larson George C A Flight In A Skycatcher Air amp Space Magazine Retrieved 19 May 2018 Aircraft Spotlight The Cessna 162 Skycatcher A Modern Cost Effective Trainer www aopa org 19 November 2017 Retrieved 19 May 2018 a b Mc Clellan J Mac May 2008 New Gulfstream p 52 Flying Magazine 135 5 52 57 Retrieved 7 July 2012 sidesticks don t provide visual feedback and actually don t move much at all as they respond to the pressure applied by the human pilot in the G650 when you grab the yoke and move it the one on the other side will respond just as it does on a conventional airplane Learning To Fly In A Cirrus SR22 planeandpilotmag com Gear Up One Big Airplane Training in US Airways newest A330 simulator flyingmag com Picture of the Canadair CL 600 2B19 Regional Jet CRJ 200ER aircraft Picture of the Lockheed C 130H Hercules L 382 aircraft Picture of the McDonnell Douglas DC 9 32 aircraft Picture of the Beech 58 Baron aircraft How Helicopters Work Fly by wire A CIVIL AVIATION FIRST Airbus Innovation Proven concepts In design Fly by wire Airbus Retrieved 6 July 2012 Flying the Airbus side stick the one with the fastest thumb wins Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yoke aeronautics amp oldid 1169974254, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
