Plain English Meaning
The whole tail assembly of the airplane — the fin sticking up, the small wing-like surfaces sticking out the back, and the moving control surfaces attached to them.
Full Definition
The tail section of an airplane, consisting of the horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, elevator, and rudder. It provides stability and directional control in flight.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in aircraft structure descriptions, preflight inspection discussions, and explanations of the tail flight controls.
