What are the Ailerons, Flaps, Rudder and Elevator on an Airplane

 Airplane Articles

• How Does an Airplane Fly

• What are the Different Types of Airplane

• What is the Difference between an Airplane and a Space Vehicle

• What is an RC Airplane

• What are Ailerons, Flaps, Rudder, Elevator on an Airplane

• What are the Different Parts of an Airplane

• What is an Airfoil and What are its Different Types

• What is Reynolds Number

• How to Check RC Airplane Center of Gravity

Ailerons, Flaps, Rudders and Elevators on an Airplane

Ailerons are the control surfaces which are used to roll the aircraft. Two aileron control surfaces on each wing at the trailing edge and move opposite to each other generating the rolling moment and rolling the aircraft. A roll is positive if the aircraft rolls towards the pilots right. A roll is negative or negative roll when the aircraft rolls towards the pilots left.

Elevators are the control surfaces which are used for the pitching moment of the aircraft and are present at the trailing edge of the Horizontal tail or horizontal stabilizer. An elevator role is to pitch the aircraft i.e. (nose up or nose down). When elevator moves up, the aircraft nose moves up. When elevator moves down, the aircraft nose moves down.

Rudders are control surfaces which are used to yaw the aircraft. The rudders are present on the vertical tail or stabilizer and used to the yaw the aircraft in the required direction.

Flaps are the control surfaces which are at the trailing edge of the wings are used to increase the lift of an airplane. Unlike ailerons, flaps on either wing move simultaneously and together (i.e. either both move up or both move down) unlike ailerons, which move opposite to each other. Flaps are beneficial as they increase the lift of an aircraft.

Ailerons, Elevators, Flaps, Rudder on an Airplane