FAR 23.2300 — Flight Control Systems

FAR 23.2300 is a Part 23 airworthiness design standard that tells manufacturers how to build the flight control and trim systems of small airplanes. While you won't fly to this rule day-to-day, understanding it helps you appreciate why the controls in your trainer feel and behave the way they do.

The regulation requires that flight control systems:

• Operate easily, smoothly, and positively so the pilot can perform normal flight functions.
• Protect against likely hazards (such as jamming or incorrect rigging).

If a trim system is installed, it must:

• Guard against inadvertent, incorrect, or abrupt trim operation.
• Provide indications of:
  • The direction of trim movement relative to airplane motion;
  • The trim position within its range;
  • The neutral position for lateral and directional trim; and
  • The takeoff trim range for all approved CG ranges and configurations.

Operationally, this is why your aircraft has a takeoff trim band, clear trim indicators, and controls designed to prevent runaway or reversed trim inputs — all critical for safe takeoffs and stable handling.