This historic flight control apparatus consists of a vertical steering column mounted on a universal joint. The base of the column is shaped like a bell, which provides the attachment points for the cables that operate the elevator and roll control surfaces. Moving the column tilts the bell, pulling the respective cables to maneuver the aircraft.
Heard on the job
The restoration team had to fabricate a new cloche to connect the wing-warping cables exactly as they were originally designed.
Insider tip
The name comes from the French word for bell, describing the shape of the lower cable attachment point. This design pioneered the central control stick concept that replaced earlier multi-lever systems.