ORIGINAL: Rodney
As to the comment of "Why do full scale designers mass counter balance some surfaces?", the reason is to make it physically less demanding on the pilot. Ailerons tend to droop and elevators also if not counter balanced requireing in some case excessive stick force to overcome at low speeds. It also releives shock loads on the control linkage durring high G forces. And, yes the fact still remains the Mass Balance does nothing directly to eliminate or minimize flutter.
Then why are rudders mass balanced in full size so often?
I thought the reason for balancing was to ensure the CG of the movable surface was more inline with the hingeline. THis ensures that any resultant force (acting on the movable surface from the fixed surface) at the hinge line, would not induce a moment in the movable surface that could possibly amplify the initial movement in the fixed surface?
Isn't this energy coupling between the fixed and the movable surface REQUIRED for flutter (at least this typical flutter mode) to occur?