Flight control for yaw

Aviation Mechanic General (AMG) practice question 8 of 20 on Physics for Aviation. ACS element AM.I.J.K9 · difficulty: recall. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Aviation Mechanic General (AMG) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONMovement of an airplane around its vertical axis is called yaw. Which primary flight control produces this movement?

AThe elevator
BThe ailerons
CThe rudder

Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. The rudder

A — incorrect The elevator moves the airplane around the lateral axis, producing pitch.
B — incorrect The ailerons move the airplane around the longitudinal axis, producing roll.
C — correct The rudder causes the airplane to move around the vertical axis, and this movement is described as yaw. Control around this axis is called directional control.

BACKGROUND

An airplane in flight is controlled around three axes of rotation that all intersect at the center of gravity: the longitudinal axis (nose to tail), the lateral axis (wingtip to wingtip), and the vertical axis (top to bottom). Movement around the vertical axis is yaw, and it is controlled by the rudder; on a V-tail airplane, the ruddervators serve this function. Movement around the lateral axis is pitch, controlled by the elevator or stabilator, and movement around the longitudinal axis is roll, controlled by the ailerons. Pushing the right rudder pedal moves the rudder trailing edge to the right and yaws the nose to the right.

STUDY TIP

Memorize the three pairs: rudder/vertical/yaw, elevator/lateral/pitch, ailerons/longitudinal/roll.

KEY POINTS

Rudder controls movement around the vertical axis (yaw)
Elevator controls the lateral axis (pitch)
Ailerons control the longitudinal axis (roll)

SOURCES

FAA-H-8083-30B ch05 "Axes of an Aircraft"
FAA-H-8083-30B ch05 "Flight Controls and the Vertical Axis"

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