spring tab

spring tab

A tab that acts as a servotab but in which a spring is incorporated in the linkage, permitting the tab position to be varied according to the applied stick force. Under normal flight loads, a spring tab has no role to play and remains streamlined to the control surface. However, when air loads are high and a large force is required to move the control surface, the spring tab moves in the opposite direction to that of the control surface on which it is mounted, and this aids the pilot in moving the control surface.