Definition
To return the ailerons to their streamlined, no-deflection position by centering the control yoke or stick laterally, so that neither aileron is deflected up or down relative to the wing.
Plain English
Move the yoke or stick back to center sideways so the ailerons sit flush with the wings and stop commanding a roll.
Context Anchor
Used during flight instruction when the instructor wants the student to stop applying roll control, especially during recovery practice or when another control is the proper correction.
Derivation
From Latin neutralis, meaning 'neither one nor the other.' To neutralize the ailerons is to put them in a position that is neither rolling left nor rolling right.
Why Pilots Care
Correct neutralization halts unwanted rolling and restores stable wings-level flight.
Intuition Check
Neutralize does not mean “cancel out” the airplane’s motion by adding opposite aileron. Here it means center the left-right control so the ailerons are no longer commanding a roll.
Example Sentence 1
Once the airplane reached a 20-degree bank, the student neutralized the ailerons to stop the roll and hold the turn.
Example Sentence 2
To stop an unintended roll, first neutralize the ailerons before making any further corrections.