Patent ID: 8876063

Claim:
A flight control for an aircraft, the flight control comprising: a primary surface that is moveable with respect to the aircraft; a primary surface actuator coupled to the primary surface and configured to maintain a position of the primary surface; a tab located at an edge of the primary surface and coupled to the primary surface to allow movement of the tab with respect to the primary surface; a tab actuator coupled to the tab and configured to move the tab with respect to the primary surface; and a controller coupled to the primary surface actuator and to the tab actuator, configured to coordinate the movement of the primary surface with the movement of the tab by controlling the tab actuator in a manner that allows aerodynamic forces acting on the tab, in concert with a mechanical force of the primary surface actuator, to position the primary surface at a desired deflected position, and to fair the tab and hold the tab in alignment with the primary surface while maintaining the primary surface at the desired deflected position.