Which control surface primarily controls roll?

Which control surface primarily controls roll?

• A. Elevators
• B. Ailerons
• C. Rudder
• D. Flaps

Answer: (B)

Roll is rotation about the aircraft’s longitudinal axis, and the surface that primarily creates that rolling moment is the ailerons. These are hinged on the trailing edges of the wings and move in opposite directions: one wing’s aileron goes up while the other goes down. When the right wing’s aileron goes down and the left goes up, the right wing generates more lift and the left less, tilting the aircraft and causing a bank to the right. The opposite deflection banks to the left. Elevators on the tail control pitch, tilting the nose up or down. The rudder on the vertical tail controls yaw, steering left or right. Flaps are used to increase lift (and drag) during takeoff and landing, not to steer roll.

Roll is rotation about the aircraft’s longitudinal axis, and the surface that primarily creates that rolling moment is the ailerons. These are hinged on the trailing edges of the wings and move in opposite directions: one wing’s aileron goes up while the other goes down. When the right wing’s aileron goes down and the left goes up, the right wing generates more lift and the left less, tilting the aircraft and causing a bank to the right. The opposite deflection banks to the left.

Elevators on the tail control pitch, tilting the nose up or down. The rudder on the vertical tail controls yaw, steering left or right. Flaps are used to increase lift (and drag) during takeoff and landing, not to steer roll.