Definition
The control position in which the trailing edge of the elevator is deflected upward, decreasing the camber of the horizontal tail and producing a downward aerodynamic force on the tail. This pitches the nose of the aircraft up about its lateral axis and increases the wing's angle of attack.
Plain English
The elevator is hinged at the back of the horizontal tail. When the pilot pulls back on the control yoke or stick, the back edge of the elevator moves up. That pushes the tail down, which raises the nose.
Context Anchor
Seen when learning how the elevator controls the aircraft’s nose attitude, and when positioning the controls during takeoff, landing, or taxi in wind.
Derivation
“Elevator” comes from a word meaning “to lift or raise.” In an airplane, the elevator helps raise or lower the nose; “up-elevator position” names the surface being raised, not the whole airplane rising.
Why Pilots Care
This deflection increases downward force on the tail, raising the nose and increasing angle of attack.
Analogy
Think of the airplane like a seesaw. If the tail end is pushed down, the nose end goes up.
Grounding Statement
Pull back, the elevator goes up, the tail goes down, and the nose goes up.
Intuition Check
Up-elevator does not mean the airplane is moving upward. It means the elevator surface itself is angled upward, which tends to raise the nose.
Example Sentence 1
During the landing flare, the pilot smoothly applied up-elevator to reduce the descent rate just before touchdown.
Example Sentence 2
Holding the up-elevator position too long in a climb can cause the airspeed to drop below the target value.