Elevators
 
The elevators control the movements of the airplane about its lateral axis. They form the rear part of the horizontal stabilizer, and are free to be moved up and down by the pilot, and are connected to a control stick or wheel in the cockpit by means of cables or rods. Applying forward pressure on the control causes the elevator surfaces to move downward. The flow of air striking the deflected elevator surfaces exerts an upward force, pushing the airplane's tail upward and the nose downward. Conversely, exerting back pressure on the control causes the elevator surfaces to move up, exerting a downward force to push the tail downward and the nose upward (Fig. 4-1).

In effect, the elevators are the angle of attack control. When back pressure is applied on the control, the tail lowers and the nose rises, thus increasing the wing's angle of attack and lift.

Some airplanes have a movable horizontal surface called a "stabilator," which serves the same purpose as the horizontal stabilizer and elevators combined. When the cockpit control is moved, the complete stabilator is moved to raise or lower its leading edge, thus changing its angle of attack and amount of lift. In turn, this changes the wing's angle of attack and amount of lift.

FAATest.com - Aviation Library
Dauntless Software hosts and maintains this library as a service to pilots and aspiring pilots worldwide. Click here for ways to show your appreciation for this service. While much of this material comes from the FAA, parts of it are (c) Dauntless Software, all rights reserved. Webmasters: please do not link directly to individual books in this library--rather, please link to our main web page at www.dauntless-soft.com or www.faatest.com. Thanks!