What Are the Parts That Help Control an Airplane?

The rudder and elevators, located at the rear, help control an airplane.

Airplane flight is a marvel of science. The airplane engine provides the needed thrust to become airborne and move forward in the air. Wings provide lift to stay in the air. Control surfaces, such as the rudder, provide control of the airplane.

Rudder

The rudder is located on the back edge of the vertical tail of the airplane. Moving the rudder to the right causes the plane's nose to go left while moving to the left causes the nose to go right.

Elevator

Elevators on the rear of the horizontal tail can move up or down. The elevators control the nose of the airplane. Deflecting the elevators up causes the nose to come up while deflecting down causes the nose to go down.

Aileron

Ailerons are on the tips of each wing and work together, though in opposite directions. The airplane rolls toward the wing whose aileron is up. So, if the left wing's aileron is down then the right wing's is up and the plane rolls or tips to the right.

Flaps

Flaps are located on the wings close to the body of the plane. Flaps move together, in the same direction. Extending flaps increases the lift, allowing shorter takeoffs and landings.

References

• Aerospaceweb: Parts of an Aircraft
• US Centennial of Flight: An Introduction to the Airplane

Resources

• NASA - Glen Research Center: Aircraft Rotations - Body Axis