Definition
A reference chart, published by the aircraft manufacturer, that specifies the correct tension for a control cable at a given ambient temperature. Because steel cables expand and contract with temperature changes, the proper tension varies with the temperature at the time of rigging, and the chart provides the target value the technician must set using a tensiometer.
Plain English
A chart that tells a mechanic how tight a control cable should be, based on how warm or cold it is when the cable is being adjusted.
Context Anchor
Seen during aircraft maintenance or inspection when control cables for surfaces such as the rudder, elevator, or ailerons are being checked or adjusted.
Derivation
Rigging comes from the old practice of setting up ropes and lines on sailing ships. In aviation, it carries the same idea: adjusting the tension of cables that connect the controls to the surfaces they move.
Why Pilots Care
Incorrect tension can produce sluggish response, binding, or dangerous control-surface flutter that risks loss of control in flight.
Analogy
It is like using a tire pressure chart instead of guessing by feel. The chart gives the proper value for the condition, so the adjustment is based on a standard, not on opinion.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as a general reminder to make cables tight. It is a specific chart for setting the correct cable tension for the aircraft and conditions.
Example Sentence 1
Before adjusting the aileron cables, the mechanic checked the cable rigging tension chart for the correct value at 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Example Sentence 2
After replacing the rudder cables, the technician verified the final settings against the cable rigging tension chart.