The ailerons control movement of the aircraft about the _______________ axis.

• A. Roll
• B. Yaw
• C. Pitch
• D. Vertical

Answer: (A)

The ailerons produce roll, which is rotation about the aircraft’s longitudinal axis running from nose to tail. When one aileron moves up and the other moves down, lift on the wings changes differentially, causing the aircraft to bank to one side. This banking is the rolling motion around the nose-to-tail axis. By contrast, yaw is rotation about the vertical axis (left or right turning, controlled by the rudder), and pitch is rotation about the lateral axis (nose up or down, controlled by the elevator).