3 ways an airplane can turn | Discovery Space

Summary

Ever wondered how a plane steers without wheels? Unlike a car, a plane uses its wings to navigate. The key components are ailerons, elevators, and the rudder. Ailerons roll the plane by moving up and down, making it tilt left or right. Elevators control the plane’s pitch, allowing it to move up or down. The rudder subtly adjusts the plane's direction to the left or right. Together, these three controls let pilots steer planes in all directions, offering a fascinating glimpse into the mechanics of flight!

Takeaways

• 😀 A car steers by turning the steering wheel, but an airplane uses different mechanisms.
• 😀 A plane doesn't have wheels for steering, instead, it has parts on the wings that move.
• 😀 The ailerons on the back of the wings are responsible for rolling the plane left or right.
• 😀 When one aileron goes down, it pushes the wing up, while the other aileron moves up, pushing the wing down.
• 😀 This movement of ailerons creates a rolling motion, which allows the plane to tilt in one direction.
• 😀 A second way a plane can steer is by pitching, which adjusts the plane’s up or down direction.
• 😀 The elevators at the back of the plane help control the pitching motion.
• 😀 The rudder at the back of the plane controls yaw, a subtle turning left or right.
• 😀 The rudder allows for slight adjustments in direction to the left or right.
• 😀 A plane uses three different types of control surfaces (ailerons, elevators, and rudder) to steer in multiple directions.
• 😀 Steering an airplane requires coordinating all three control surfaces to navigate in all directions.

Q & A

How does steering in a plane differ from steering in a car?

In a car, you turn the steering wheel, and the wheels move to steer the vehicle. In a plane, however, the wings do not move as a whole. Instead, small parts of the wing, like ailerons, elevators, and rudders, are used to control the direction of the plane.

What are ailerons and how do they work?

Ailerons are small movable parts located on the back of the wings. They can move up or down. When the right aileron goes down, the bottom of the wing catches more air, causing the plane to roll to the right. At the same time, the left aileron goes up, pushing the wing down, rolling the plane to the left.

Why do planes have more than one aileron on some wings?

Some planes have more than one aileron on each wing for additional control and stability. This can help with finer adjustments in the plane's roll and provide better balance, especially in larger or more complex aircraft.

What is the function of the elevators on a plane?

The elevators are small movable surfaces at the back of the plane, usually on the horizontal stabilizer. They control the pitch of the plane, meaning they make the plane move up or down in relation to its nose.

How does the yaw control work on a plane?

Yaw is controlled by the rudder, a vertical movable part located at the tail of the plane. When the rudder is turned to the left or right, it changes the direction the plane is facing slightly, making the plane yaw left or right.

What does it mean when a plane rolls to the left or right?

When a plane rolls to the left or right, it tilts its wings in that direction. The ailerons control this motion: the right aileron moves down, and the left aileron moves up, or vice versa, to cause the plane to tilt and turn.

How does the aileron mechanism affect the flight path of the plane?

The ailerons are primarily responsible for the plane's roll. By adjusting the ailerons, the pilot can change the plane's orientation along its longitudinal axis, which affects the direction of the turn and the stability of the aircraft.

Why do planes need different controls for turning?

Planes need different controls for turning because turning in three dimensions requires control over pitch, roll, and yaw. Ailerons control roll, elevators control pitch, and the rudder controls yaw, allowing the pilot to maneuver the plane accurately.

What is the relationship between the ailerons and the airflow over the wings?

When an aileron moves down, it increases the surface area of the wing, causing the wing to catch more air and generate more lift on that side. Conversely, when an aileron moves up, it reduces the lift on that side, causing the plane to tilt.

How do the different parts of the plane (ailerons, elevators, and rudder) work together to control the aircraft?

Together, the ailerons, elevators, and rudder allow the pilot to steer the plane in all directions. The ailerons control roll (side-to-side motion), the elevators control pitch (up and down motion), and the rudder controls yaw (left and right direction). These systems work in combination to make precise adjustments during flight.