Set _____ before rigging the control travels.

Set _____ before rigging the control travels.

• A. air temperature
• B. hydraulic pressure
• C. trim setting
• D. cable tension

Answer: (D)

Setting the cable tension establishes a stable starting point for measuring and adjusting how far the controls travel. Cables and pulleys can stretch slightly under load, and without the correct tension the system may have slack or pre-load that skews the observed travel. With the proper tension, the control surfaces move through their full, intended range smoothly and without binding or premature limit engagement. The other factors—air temperature, hydraulic pressure, or trim setting—do not provide this baseline for the mechanical travel; they can influence the system in other ways, but they don’t set the initial tautness of the control cables.

Setting the cable tension establishes a stable starting point for measuring and adjusting how far the controls travel. Cables and pulleys can stretch slightly under load, and without the correct tension the system may have slack or pre-load that skews the observed travel. With the proper tension, the control surfaces move through their full, intended range smoothly and without binding or premature limit engagement. The other factors—air temperature, hydraulic pressure, or trim setting—do not provide this baseline for the mechanical travel; they can influence the system in other ways, but they don’t set the initial tautness of the control cables.