What happens when the pitch disc handle is pulled?

What happens when the pitch disc handle is pulled?

• A. Captain controls: Left elevator; FO controls: Right elevator
• B. Captain controls: Right elevator; FO controls: Left elevator
• C. Captain controls: Both elevators
• D. FO controls: Both elevators

Answer: (A)

Pulling the pitch disc handle switches the elevator controls from a common, tied setup to a split arrangement. In this mode, each pilot gets independent control: the captain operates the left elevator, the first officer operates the right elevator. This configuration is used to allow one pilot to pitch while the other monitors or inputs without fighting over the same control surface. The other possibilities would require the same control surface to be driven by a single person or by both in unison, which isn’t what pulling the pitch disc handle does.

Pulling the pitch disc handle switches the elevator controls from a common, tied setup to a split arrangement. In this mode, each pilot gets independent control: the captain operates the left elevator, the first officer operates the right elevator. This configuration is used to allow one pilot to pitch while the other monitors or inputs without fighting over the same control surface. The other possibilities would require the same control surface to be driven by a single person or by both in unison, which isn’t what pulling the pitch disc handle does.