Question about Military Jets...

[mcgon1979]

It seems a lot of jets have a small "playing card size" steel 'wing' that is horizontal with the main wings but protrudes from the fuselage at the cockpit area. This little wing is horizontal at rest but can be moved by hand before it springs back to the horizontal position. My question is, what is this for? Is it some sort of sensor? It seems to small to be anything related to aerodynamics. Thanks

[Ozzy Blizzard]

It seems a lot of jets have a small "playing card size" steel 'wing' that is horizontal with the main wings but protrudes from the fuselage at the cockpit area. This little wing is horizontal at rest but can be moved by hand before it springs back to the horizontal position. My question is, what is this for? Is it some sort of sensor? It seems to small to be anything related to aerodynamics. Thanks

Do you have a picture?

[mcgon1979]

http://www.iolfree.ie/~gamesroom2000/neilsvid/flogger.jpg

Here it is on a Mig 23 flogger

[rattmuff]

"Incidence vane" or "Angle of Attack Indicator".
It's a sensor.

[mcgon1979]

http://www.lindenhillimports.com/images/photof48.jpg

YEP!!! thats it alright. Here it is on another plane. I did a search for angle of attack indicator.... Thats defo it. Thanks guys...

[mcgon1979]

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/images/2-21.gif