Every person who operates a moving vehicle knows that he/she must be able to control that vehicle once it is placed in motion.

Every pilot is taught from the first flight to check the controls for free and proper movement before flight.

What is a an effective method for doing the check of the controls?   Here are some comments and opinions - not for your instruction, but for your enlightenment, and for your consideration.  If you are not yet a licensed pilot, then do not read this.  You must first be taught by an instructor pilot, and then be certified via a flight check by the FAA.  But if you are a pilot, consider these comments.
 
 

In order for you, as Pilot in Command (PIC), to do a positive control check you need a helper.

The helper has no responsibility, and should merely follow instructions.  The helper should not comment or direct any portion of the check.  The helper immediately becomes a detrimental distraction to the safe operation if he/she makes any comments during the PC check.

The Positive Control (PC) check is not a solemn ceremony.  It does not require a vast amount of concentration.  You have done it hundreds of times before - sometimes serving as PIC, sometimes serving as helper.  Each person probably has their own idea on how the PC check is accomplished.  If you are asked to be a helper, consider it a compliment, and do the PIC a favor by not doing anything other than follow his/her instructions to the letter. As helper, you have no way of telling if the stick is moving in the cockpit.  The controls surface normally moves with the same freedom and to the same degree, whether the push rods are connected or not.  Touch only what you are told to touch, and be a good helper and listen.  Do not be a distraction.  If you are PIC, keep it simple, communicate in as few words as possible, and do it the same way every time - regardless of the qualification of the helper.

We all recognize the importance of the PC Check, and we tend to make it more difficult that it has to be.

Here is a simple way to do a positive control (PC) check.....
 

Description:

Before you ask the helper to be involved in a Positive Control check, you, as PIC should be sure everything appears to be hooked up correctly.

First check freedom of movement by moving the stick the full travel to all four corners.  Then check the proper directions to the extend possible.
Go full left - look for left aileron up, right one down.
Go full right - look for right aileron up, left one down.
Stick full back - look for elevator full up.
Stick full forward - look for elevator full down.
Check flaps and spoilers.
Check rudders, if possible, just to insure the connections/ cables are still intact.

Briefing to the Helper

Now find a helper and talk to him/her.  As PIC, communicate something similar to the following dialogue:

"I will apply all forces to the controls from the cockpit.  To check the spoilers, I want you to first try to hold them closed with the palm of your hands, and next I will ask you to try to hold them open."

"For the Ailerons and Elevator I want you to gently move the surface up and down to so that you will learn how far it can travel, and so you can see how easily it moves, and at the same time, I will be able to see that the stick is moving freely and correctly in the cockpit.  Then, I want you to use the flat of your hand and I want you to hold the surface in the fully deflected position.  You will feel me move the surface, but try to resist, and try to prevent it from moving away from the fully deflected position."

"For the Flaps, Don't try to move them, because they are always locked.  I want you to use the flat of your hand, and I would like you to hold the surface down or up as I command. Let's start with the aileron on one wing, and work around to the other wing."

Conducting the Check

Once the helper is at the aileron, tell him to gently move it to see the full amount of travel, while you check to see that the stick in the cockpit is moving   Then tell the helper to hold it full up with the flat of his hand.  While the helper is holding the aileron fully deflected in the up direction, you should give some sharp movements of the stick in the opposite direction to assure you have positive control of that surface in that direction, and you should then release the stick.  Now tell the helper to deflect the surface fully down, and again you grab the stick and you give some sharp movements of the stick in the opposite direction to assure you have positive control of that surface in that direction, and then you should again release the stick. Excessive force is never used and is never required.

Unlock the spoilers, and then tell the helper to try to hold them closed with the flat of his hand.  Now try to open them against the helper's pressure.  Tell the helper is let go, and then fully open the spoilers.  Now ask the helper to hold them open, while putting some closing pressure on the handle, but be careful not to pinch the helpers fingers in the spoilers.

Move the flaps full up, and then tell the helper to hold them full up.  You try to put them down against the helpers resistance.  Tell the helper to let go of the flaps, place them full down and then perform a similar check.

Before you touch the stick, allow the helper to move the elevator full travel both up and down, while you observe the stick movement.  Then tell the helper to hold the surface full up with the flat of his hand.  You then give some sharp movements of the stick in the opposite direction to assure you have positive control of that surface in that direction, and you should then release the stick.  Now tell the helper to deflect the elevator full down, and you do a similar check in that direction.
Check the rudder if possible, just to be sure it the cables are intact.

The same procedure is used for the flaps, the spoilers, and the ailerons on the remaining wing.
 

Comments:

As PIC resist the urge to touch the stick while the helper is moving the control surface.  Allow the helper to feel when he/she is on the stop.  All force should come from the control stick.  As PIC, you know what excessive force on the controls feels like.  DO NOT use excessive force when doing a control check.  You are checking connections, not doing a structural check.

Spoilers need to be checked in both the opening and the closing cycles on each wing, to be sure they are hooked up.
 

Summary:

State the following to the helper....

"Using the flat of your hand, hold the aileron full up, gently against the stop, and resist the movement that you will feel - try to stop if from moving."

"Now, use the flat of your hand hold the surface full down, gently against the stop."

"Using the palm of your hands attempt to push the spoiler closed as I try to open them."

"Hold the spoilers open as I again check the connection."

Losses

There have been at least two fatal accidents which may have been avoided if a proper control check had been performed.  We lost Dave Peterson at Crazy Creek, and more recently Pat Page at William's. This web page was written in the hopes that we can avoid any further tragic losses.
 

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