What is meant by rigging the engine controls so they have some 'cushion'?

• A. The control on the engine component must contact its stop before the cockpit control reaches its stop, causing the control handle to spring back a little.
• B. The control on the engine component must travel to the very end of its travel without stopping.
• C. The controls must be locked so they cannot move at all.
• D. The cushions are added to the cockpit to reduce vibration during flight.

Answer: (A)

Rigging the engine controls with a little cushion means setting the linkage so the engine-side control hits its stop just before the cockpit-side stop is reached. When you push the cockpit control to its limit, there’s a tiny amount of clearance, and the handle springs back slightly. This creates a soft, usable end of travel rather than a harsh, abrupt stop.

This cushion is beneficial because it protects the linkage from hard impacts, reduces wear on the stops, and provides a tactile cue that you’ve reached full travel. It also helps accommodate minor wear or misalignment without causing binding. If the cockpit control reached its stop first, you’d lose that gentle give and feel a harsher bottom-out, which is undesirable. Locking the controls would stop operation, and adding cushions to the cockpit to reduce vibration doesn’t address the mechanical end travel of the engine controls.