LESSON 1.3 — AIRPLANE FUNDAMENTALS
[ 1.3.3] Airplane Components
BEFORE WE FLY — QUICK QUESTION
Which surfaces make an airplane turn?
Ailerons change roll, helping the airplane turn; the elevator adjusts pitch and the rudder directs the nose.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Ailerons on the wings change roll and help the airplane turn; the elevator adjusts pitch (nose up/down); the rudder directs the nose left or right — flaps mainly increase lift (and drag).
- The tail keeps the aircraft stable: the horizontal stabiliser (with the elevator) maintains pitch stability, the vertical stabiliser (with the rudder) maintains directional stability.
- Winglets at the wingtips reduce the wingtip vortices — less drag and better fuel efficiency, a small feature with a significant effect on performance.