Plain English Meaning

The flat surface at the back of the airplane that tilts the nose up or down when you pull or push the yoke. Some airplanes have a small hinged piece (elevator); others have the whole tail surface that moves as one piece (stabilator). They do the same job.

Full Definition

The movable horizontal control surface at the tail of an airplane that controls pitch — the up-and-down movement of the nose. An elevator is a hinged surface attached to a fixed horizontal stabilizer; a stabilator is a one-piece horizontal tail surface where the entire surface pivots as a single unit. Both are operated by fore-and-aft movement of the control yoke or stick and produce the same effect: pulling back raises the nose, pushing forward lowers it.

Context Anchor

Seen in , control checks, and explanations of how moving the or stick changes the airplane’s nose .