What Are the Rectangular Things on My Cessna Skylane Elevators?

Airplanes use two types of control-surface balance: aerodynamic and mass.

Peter Garrison

Wednesday, June 07, 2023 at 10:57 AM ET

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A Cessna 182T Turbo Skylane. [Credit: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

The forward projections on aircraft control surfaces, known as balances, are designed to improve handling and prevent structural issues.
There are two main types: aerodynamic balance, which reduces pilot control forces, and mass balance, which prevents dangerous control surface flutter.
Different aircraft designs vary; for instance, Cessna Skylanes use balances that provide both aerodynamic and mass effects, while others like Bonanzas and Cirruses primarily focus on mass balance.

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Question: What are the rectangular things sticking forward at the tips of the elevators on my Cessna Skylane? Why don’t other airplanes have them?

Answer: The forward projections are balances. Actually, lots of airplanes have them, Beechcraft Bonanzas and Cirruses, for example, but they don’t all look the same.

Airplanes use two types of control-surface balance: aerodynamic and mass. Aerodynamic balance means putting some of the surface area ahead of the hinge axis to reduce control forces for the pilot. The faster the airplane, the greater the need for this type of balance.