Which pairing correctly matches a primary flight control surface with its function?

Which pairing correctly matches a primary flight control surface with its function?

• A. Ailerons control yaw; Elevators control pitch; Rudder controls roll.
• B. Elevators control pitch; Ailerons control roll; Rudder controls yaw.
• C. Ailerons control roll; Elevators control pitch; Rudder controls yaw.
• D. Ailerons control pitch; Elevators control yaw; Rudder controls roll.

Answer: (B)

The three primary flight control surfaces map to motion about the aircraft’s three axes: pitch, roll, and yaw. Elevators move the nose up or down, so they control pitch. Ailerons tilt the aircraft side to side by moving in opposite directions on the wings, which controls roll. The rudder deflects airflow on the vertical stabilizer to yaw the nose left or right, so it controls yaw. Therefore, the correct pairing is elevators with pitch, ailerons with roll, and rudder with yaw. This reflects how a conventional airplane actually behaves; other options mix up these functions by assigning yaw or pitch to the wrong surface, which wouldn’t produce the intended attitude changes.

The three primary flight control surfaces map to motion about the aircraft’s three axes: pitch, roll, and yaw. Elevators move the nose up or down, so they control pitch. Ailerons tilt the aircraft side to side by moving in opposite directions on the wings, which controls roll. The rudder deflects airflow on the vertical stabilizer to yaw the nose left or right, so it controls yaw. Therefore, the correct pairing is elevators with pitch, ailerons with roll, and rudder with yaw. This reflects how a conventional airplane actually behaves; other options mix up these functions by assigning yaw or pitch to the wrong surface, which wouldn’t produce the intended attitude changes.