Words for: Aircraft Systems
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The three main moving surfaces a pilot uses to steer the aircraft. One set tilts the wings, one tips the nose up or down, and one swings the nose left or right.
The three control surfaces required to safely control an aircraft during flight: the ailerons, the elevator (or stabilator), and the rudder. The ailerons control roll about the longitudinal axis, the elevator controls pitch about the lateral axis, and the rudder controls yaw about the vertical axis.
You will see this term when studying aircraft control systems, preflight checks, and how the airplane responds to control inputs from the yoke, stick, or pedals.
‘Primary’ comes from the Latin primus, meaning ‘first’ or ‘most important.’ These are called primary because they are the controls without which the aircraft cannot be safely flown. Other controls (flaps, trim, spoilers) are called secondary because they refine or assist, but are not required for basic control.
They are the only controls that can change the aircraft’s attitude in all three axes and are therefore required for every maneuver from takeoff to landing.
Do not read “primary flight controls” as every important control in the cockpit. In this context, it means the main movable surfaces that control the aircraft’s basic movement in flight.
During preflight, the pilot checked that all primary flight controls moved freely and in the correct direction.
During the preflight briefing the instructor emphasized that the primary flight controls must be checked for free and correct movement before engine start.