How do the elevator, aileron, and rudder controls affect the aircraft's motion?

• A. Ailerons control pitch.
• B. Rudder changes pitch, elevator rolls, and ailerons yaw.
• C. Elevator pitch changes height, but does not affect roll.
• D. Elevator changes pitch, ailerons roll, and rudder yaw.

Answer: (D)

Pitch is controlled by the elevator, which tilts the nose up or down around the aircraft’s sideways (lateral) axis. When you pull back on the controls, the elevator raises the nose, increasing the angle of attack and usually causing a climb or a slower descent; pushing forward lowers the nose, reducing angle of attack and causing a descent or faster descent. This is why elevator input primarily affects pitch and altitude, not the bank angle.

Roll is controlled by the ailerons, which are on the wings’ trailing edges. Deflecting one aileron up and the other down causes the wings to tilt in opposite directions, producing a roll about the longitudinal axis. A left roll lowers the left wing and raises the right wing, tilting the airplane to the left; the opposite deflection rolls to the right.

Yaw is controlled by the rudder, which deflects the tail left or right to push the nose in that direction around the vertical axis. Deflecting the rudder to the left yaws the nose to the left, and to the right yaws the nose to the right. In coordinated flight, you combine these controls: roll with the ailerons to bank into a turn, use the elevator to maintain the desired pitch and altitude, and use the rudder to keep the nose aligned with the flight path and counter adverse yaw.