Airplane components

Aircraft Control Surfaces and
Components

© 2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Aerospace Engineering

Aircraft Components and Control

• Aircraft range from simple home-built
machines to complex fighter jets
• All aircraft have common structural and
control components that allow for
controlled flight

Aircraft Components

Empennage

Fuselage

Aileron

Elevator

Rudder

Vertical Stabilizer

Horizontal Stabilizer

Wing

Flaps

Power Plant

Cockpit

Multiple Choice

What is part B?

• Wing

• Winglet

• Cockpit

• Spoiler

Empennage and Wing Components

Elevator

Rudder

Vertical Stabilizer

Horizontal Stabilizer

Flaps

Ailerons

Horizontal Stabilizer

Elevator

Empennage and Wing Components

Elevator

Multiple Choice

The ____________ is powered by an engine (usually just behind the propeller) and the propeller blades create __________to move an airplane forward.

• thrust, propeller

• lift,drag

• propeller, thrust

• thrust, drag

Multiple Choice

The __________is a part of an airplane that produces much of an airplane’s total lift when air flows over it.

• aileron

• wing

• elevator

• rudder

Multiple Choice

The _______________ is the main body of an airplane.

• cockpit

• window

• emmpennage

• fuselage

Multiple Choice

The four forces of flight considered in the design of airplane parts are lift, __________, thrust and __________.

• gravity, drag

• drag, gravity

• lift, drag

Multiple Choice

The horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, rudder and elevator together are called the “_______________.”

• flaps

• empennage

• wings

• fuselage

Multiple Choice

What is part A?

• Wing

• Winglet

• Cockpit

• Spoiler

Multiple Choice

The _____________ is used to make the nose of the airplane yaw left or right.

• rudder

• elevator

• ailerons

• flaps

Multiple Choice

The elevator controls “_____________,” or the up-and-down motion of the airplane’s nose.

• flaps

• lift

• pitch

• yaw

Multiple Choice

What is part C?

• Horizontal Stabilizer

• Vertical Stabilizer

• Rudder

• Elevator

Multiple Choice

The three main control surfaces on an airplane are the ailerons, _____________ and elevator.

• rudder

• flaps

• landing gear

• tail-fin

Multiple Choice

What is part D?

• Horizontal Stabilizer

• Vertical Stabilizer

• Rudder

• Elevator

Multiple Choice

Jet engines allow airplanes to fly faster and at higher altitudes than propeller airplanes.

• lower, and slower

• faster and higher

• faster and lower

• lower and faster

Multiple Choice

What is part E?

• Horizontal Stabilizer

• Vertical Stabilizer

• Rudder

• Elevator

Multiple Choice

What is part H?

• Flaps

• Aileron

• Spoiler

• Slats

Multiple Choice

What is part K?

• Fuselage

• Cockpit

• Turbine Engine

• Slats

Empennage

Rudder

Vertical Stabilizer

Horizontal Stabilizer

Trim Tab

Elevator

Trim Tab

Multiple Choice

What is part L?

• Fuselage

• Cockpit

• Turbine Engine

• Slats

Multiple Choice

What is part F?

• Horizontal Stabilizer

• Vertical Stabilizer

• Rudder

• Elevator

Multiple Choice

What is part G?

• Flaps

• Aileron

• Spoiler

• Slats

Aircraft Components

Fuselage

Winglet

Wing

Wing Strut

Ribs

Spar

Center of Gravity

Center of Gravity (CG) is point where
weight of object is balanced

Centroid located on
the line of symmetry
Centroid of object with multiple lines of symmetry
is located at intersection of lines of symmetry

Stability

• Aircraft with positive stability returns to
steady flight after disturbance

Stability

• Aircraft with positive stability returns to
steady flight after disturbance
• Maneuverability is an indication of an
aircraft’s ability to handle the stress of
maneuvers
• Controllability is an indication of an
aircraft’s ability to react to pilot inputs

Aircraft Attitude

• Aircraft have three axes of flight which
intersect at the center of gravity

Longitudinal
Axis

Lateral
Axis

Vertical
Axis

Aircraft Attitude

• Aircraft have three axes of flight which
intersect at the center of gravity
• Aircraft must be stable around these three
axes for controlled flight

Center of
Pressure

Center of
Gravity

Aircraft Attitude

• Aircraft have three axes of flight which
intersect at the center of gravity
• Aircraft must be stable around these three
axes for controlled flight
• Aircraft must be controlled to rotate around
these three axes to change direction

Center of
Pressure

Center of
Gravity

Longitudinal
Axis

Lateral
Axis

Vertical
Axis

Aircraft Stability and Movement
Around Three Axes of Flight

Roll
Pitch

Yaw

Aircraft Roll Stability and Control

To turn left, the
aircraft must roll left.

Right wing must raise
and left wing must
descend.

Right aileron is
lowered and left
aileron is raised.

Longitudinal
Axis

Aircraft Roll Stability and Control

To turn left, the
aircraft must roll left.

Right wing must raise
and left wing must
descend.

Right aileron is
lowered and left
aileron is raised.

Longitudinal
Axis

Flight Controls that Cause Ailerons
and Flaps to Move

Yoke rotated
left

Left aileron raises
Right aileron lowers

Left and right
flaps lower

Flaps lever lowered

Flaps are only used
during takeoff and
landing to increase lift at
lower airspeed. Use of
flaps at cruising speed
would damage the wing.

Aircraft Pitch Stability and Control

Lateral
Axis

Pitch Down

Push the yoke
forward

To descend, the pilot
reduces power and lowers
the elevator to pitch down

Lower the elevator

Aircraft Yaw Stability and Control

Vertical
Axis

Yaw Left

Push left pedal
away from you.

To yaw the aircraft
nose left, the
rudder must
deflect left.

Aircraft Motion and Control

Axis

Motion

Stabilized by

Control

Pilot Control

Longitudinal

Roll

Wings

Aileron

Yoke twist left
or right

Lateral

Pitch

Horizontal
stabilizer
Elevator

Yoke forward
or aft

Vertical

Yaw

Vertical
stabilizer
Rudder

Rudder pedals

Longitudinal
Axis

Lateral
Axis

Vertical
Axis

Roll
Pitch

Yaw

Why Do Airplane Designs Differ?

The differences more than aesthetic

Consider how a design affects lift
and drag and other characteristics

Wing Vertical Location

High Wing

Mid Wing

Low Wing

How will the wing location affect aircraft performance?

• High wing generates the most lift of the three wing locations
because airflow is continuous with minimal interruption
• Improved pilot downward visibility without wing obstruction
• Center of gravity is high
• Pusher engine avoids introducing turbulence over wing

High Wing

Mid Wing

• Mid wing generates the least lift of the three wing locations

Low Wing

• Low wing generates lift as a median of three wing locations
because airflow is almost continuous with some interruption
• Increased ground effect increases lift during takeoff and
landing because the wing airflow acts against the ground
• Limited pilot downward visibility because of wing obstruction

Wing Configuration

Biplane

Canard Wings

How will the wing configuration affect aircraft performance?

Multiple Wings – Biplane

• Increased wing area generates more lift
• Increased wing area generates more drag

Canard Wings

• Canard wings provides major wing surface area well
forward of the center of gravity
• Center of gravity being farther rearward improves pitch
control

Vertical Stabilizer

Twin vertical stabilizers

Triple vertical stabilizers

How will the vertical stabilizer affect aircraft performance?

V-Tail

Twin Vertical Stabilizers

• Two vertical stabilizers improve yaw control

Triple Vertical Stabilizers

• Three vertical stabilizers improve yaw control
• Could be needed to compensate for the limitation of other
features

V-Tail

• Early versions of the design made it difficult for a pilot to
control yaw
• Note the relative percentage of wing that is flap versus
aileron.

Power Plant

Tractor power plant

Pusher power plant

How will the power plant affect aircraft performance?

Variable direction power plant

Tractor Power Plant

Engine

Propeller

Pusher Power Plant

Engine

Propeller

Variable Direction Power Plant

Exhaust smoke from
vertical thrust

Landing Gear

Oleo Strut

Floats

How will the landing gear affect aircraft performance?

Tail dragger

Tricycle

Landing Gear – Oleo Strut

Brakes

Tire

Rim

Oleo strut

Axle

Landing Gear – Floats

Conventional Gear vs. Tail-Dragger

Main Gear
(2 wheels)

Tail Wheel

Tricycle Gear

Main Gear
(2 wheels)
Nose Wheel

Rough field

How will the landing gear affect aircraft performance?
Specialized Landing Gear

Soft field

Rough Field Landing Gear

• Rough field landing gear has smaller wheels to allow large
shock absorbers
• Large shock absorbers
• Absorb impact of a rough terrain
• Propeller is above tall grass

Soft Field Landing Gear

• Soft field landing gear has large wheels to minimize sinking
into terrain

Fuselage size

How will the aircraft size affect aircraft performance?
Aircraft Size and Shape

Engine size

Specialized configuration

Aircraft Size

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Aircraft Size

Aircraft Size

Boeing 777 Engine Intake

Specialty Aircraft

Simple instrument panel

How will the instrument panel affect aircraft performance?
Instrument Panel

General aviation instrument panel

General aviation instrument panel