Rudder travel limiter

A rudder travel limiter, or rudder limiter, is a controlling device in an aircraft used to mechanically limit the maximum rudder deflection.

Background

An aircraft rudder is a flight control surface used to control rotation around its vertical axis, known as yaw[1], which is especially important during takeoff, landing, and emergency conditions. Rudders are typically found within the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft. Excessive use of rudder can exceed the ultimate load of the vertical stabilizer, causing structural failure.[2] For this reason, modern airliners and fly-by-wire aircraft often include a system to prevent excessive rudder deflection.

The rudder travel limiter in the Airbus A300-600 is controlled by the Feel and Limitation Computers (FLC) maintaining sufficient yaw control within the entire flight envelope and limiting excessive lateral loads on the rudder and vertical stabilizer.[3]

Notable Accidents

Faults with rudder travel limiters were involved in the crashes of Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 and American Airlines Flight 587. After the latter crash Airbus changed the rudder travel limiter on the Airbus A300-600 from a variable ratio design to a variable stop design, as the latter is less complex, with less severe failure modes.

References
  1. "Rudder". SKYbrary Aviation Safety. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  2. Bellamy, Woodrow (3 December 2015). "AirAsia Flight 8501 Crash Caused by Pilot Error, Rudder Units". Aviation Today. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  3. "Use of rudder on Airbus A300-600/A310" (PDF). IFALPA. December 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
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