The purpose of the elevator bobweight is to ________________.

• A. Provide a balanced control feed
• B. Aerodynamically balance the elevator
• C. Assist the trim aid device (TAD)
• D. Enhance control feedback and help prevent overstressing of the airframe under high G loading

Answer: (D)

The elevator bobweight is designed to give the pilot a realistic feel of the loads on the elevator and to help prevent overstressing the airframe during high-G maneuvers. It’s a weighted piece attached to the elevator control linkage that increases the force the pilot must exert as the elevator moves and as aerodynamic loads rise. This feedback makes you more aware of how much nose-up or nose-down control you’re applying, especially under high-G conditions, so you’re less likely to overdeflect the control surface and approach structural limits. It isn’t about aerodynamically balancing the elevator, nor is it a trim assist; those have different mechanisms.