Plain English Meaning

The stick the pilot moves to make the helicopter go forward, backward, left, or right. Pushing it in any direction tilts the spinning rotor blades that way, and the helicopter follows.

Full Definition

A primary helicopter flight control, mounted vertically between the pilot's legs, that tilts the main rotor disk in the direction the stick is moved. Tilting the rotor disk changes the direction of rotor thrust, which controls the helicopter's pitch and roll and therefore its horizontal direction of flight.

Context Anchor

Seen in helicopter cockpit diagrams and used whenever a controls the helicopter’s direction or with the main rotor.