Meaning of blowdown limit | Babel Free

Definitions

The maximum deflection that a control surface is capable of reaching under given flight conditions, past which the aerodynamic forces acting on the control surface exceed the maximum opposing force available from the control surface's actuators.

Examples

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the United Airlines flight 585 accident was a loss of control of the airplane resulting from the movement of the rudder surface to its blowdown limit. The rudder surface most likely deflected in a direction opposite to that commanded by the pilots as a result of a jam of the main rudder power control unit servo valve secondary slide to the servo valve housing offset from its neutral position and overtravel of the primary slide.”

CEFR level