If you rig an elevator wrong, which axis does it affect?

If you rig an elevator wrong, which axis does it affect?

• A. Longitudinal axis
• B. Vertical axis
• C. Yaw axis
• D. Lateral axis

Answer: (D)

Elevator control is used to change the aircraft’s pitch, which is rotation about the lateral axis (the line running wingtip to wingtip). When the elevator is rigged correctly, moving the elevator produces a nose-up or nose-down moment that aligns with that axis. If the elevator is misrigged, the intended pitch response is altered, so the airplane’s nose may rise or fall unintentionally, indicating a pitch change about the lateral axis. The longitudinal axis governs roll (via the ailerons), and the vertical axis governs yaw (via the rudder), so misrigging the elevator does not directly affect those axes.

Elevator control is used to change the aircraft’s pitch, which is rotation about the lateral axis (the line running wingtip to wingtip). When the elevator is rigged correctly, moving the elevator produces a nose-up or nose-down moment that aligns with that axis. If the elevator is misrigged, the intended pitch response is altered, so the airplane’s nose may rise or fall unintentionally, indicating a pitch change about the lateral axis. The longitudinal axis governs roll (via the ailerons), and the vertical axis governs yaw (via the rudder), so misrigging the elevator does not directly affect those axes.