If the elevator was stuck NOT at very near neutral, I doubt the trim could cope.
If the elevator linkage is broken, trim still works as normal.
If the elevator linkage or something else in the mechanism is stuck, trim still works but in reverse, and not very effective, so you want a long runway
There’s a longer version in his book, but here’s the Barry Schiff article Look Ma, no elevator, which also references Look Ma, no rudder
Key points: only one cable out of the pair might be broken, and you need to have the trim quite far forward to then be able to trim back and flare
I’ve tried flying Jodel DR1050, Pa38, and Bolkow Junior on throttle, rudder, and trim. (The Pa38 is probably pointless, as the trim is a spring.)
I didn’t land, going to normal controls at round out. But the landings would be survivable, although not good.
The Jodel needed high airspeed to round out, and would have been a very fast landing, with resulting tailwheel problems.
I’ve flown the Jodel from east to west Scottish coast and back on only these controls.
Following a C of A inspection, before becoming LAA Permit, after flying back to Inverness, I found the controls did not allow this flying, until we had them adjusted.
It’s a certification requirement that this be possible for small GA planes:
23.145
…..
“e) It must be possible, by using the normal flight and power controls except the primary longitudinal control, to control the descent of the airplane to a zero rate of descent and to an attitude suitable for a controlled landing, without exceptional piloting skill, alertness, or strength, and without exceeding the operational and structural limitations of the airplane.”
Stabilator equipped aircraft like a Comanche are often particularly good in this regard.
Antonio wrote:
My instructor also taught use of open cabin doors for lateral control, but that is not really required.
Did those things too, in a 172. But pitch control was always about power and flaps only, and praying that stabilator will stick in place.
It’s true that the use-case seems to be quite small. E.g. stuck cables will block the stabilator. So it’s really condensed to a cut or broken wire, or any other sort of disconnection. If anything is blocked in there, you won’t override it with the thin trim cables against the rather thick cables from the stabilator control (yoke).
I was concerned a bit about this very topic due to the requirement to check for cracks in some parts of stabilator connection of a Comanche. But even in the event that the fixation of the stabilator should break then you still can have control with the trim.
You know, I’m flying for practically all of my life, and the only thing I would fear is loss of stabilator control because there seemed to be no option left. But now there is.
Antonio wrote:
It is amazing the POH in the Comanche mentions such backup!
No it’s not in the POH. I found it in the maintenance manual. One thing more to note, that the maintenance manual of the Comanche is meant to be read by the enthusiastic owner
Nor surprisingly, these tricks work just as well in a C172. Did it a few times at Son Bonet, and easily stopped her within the thresholds at Son Bonet (1000m). In a C182 or other Cessna’s it would also work or not?
When I did my PPL, on C150, my instructor taught me to land using for pitch control only power and trim. You need a long runway so you can flare smoothly, though. That will only work in case the failure is the breakage or disconnect of control cables or something similar that leaves the elevator free to move.
I also remember having seen somewhere that a jammed elevator on conventional aircraft will still allow some pitch control using the trim reversed, but I dont recall that being a POH!
All high-wing cessnas will lose both ailerons with most major mechanical failures or most control disconnects in one system (except the final rod from wing quadrant to aileron). They are however quite reasonable to control laterally feet-only. My instructor also taught use of open cabin doors for lateral control, but that is not really required.
It is amazing the POH in the Comanche mentions such backup!