Flight Controls  Chapter 6  Introduction  This chapter focuses on the flight control systems a pilot uses  to control the forces of flight and the aircraft’s direction and  attitude. It should be noted that flight control systems and  characteristics can vary greatly depending on the type of  aircraft flown. The most basic flight control system designs  are mechanical and date back to early aircraft. They operate  with a collection of mechanical parts, such as rods, cables,  pulleys, and sometimes chains to transmit the forces of the  flight deck controls to the control surfaces. Mechanical flight  control systems are still used today in small general and  sport category aircraft where the aerodynamic forces are not  excessive.  [Figure 6-1] 