What tool can be used to check control surface travel?

The correct tool to check control surface travel is a universal propeller protractor or control surface protractor. This specialized tool is designed to measure the angle of deflection of various control surfaces, such as ailerons, elevators, and rudders, relative to the neutral position.

Control surface travel is critical to ensure that the aircraft responds correctly to pilot inputs. This protractor allows technicians to accurately determine whether the control surfaces move to the prescribed angles and ensure they are within the manufacturer’s specifications. This ensures not only proper handling characteristics during flight but also overall safety.

In contrast, a flight data recorder primarily captures flight parameters and is not used for measuring physical deflections of control surfaces. An inclinometer is used to measure angles of incline or slope, which is unrelated to the measurement of control surface travel. An altimeter measures altitude by comparing the pressure outside the aircraft to a standard atmospheric pressure and does not provide information related to control surface positions.