What do spoilers do in flight?

• A. Increase lift to help climb
• B. They destroy lift, which enables descent.
• C. They reduce drag to cruise
• D. They stabilize rudder input

Answer: (B)

Spoilers are lift-destroying devices on the wings. When they deploy, they disrupt the smooth airflow over the wing surface, causing the wing to lose lift and to generate more drag. This combination lets the aircraft descend more rapidly and helps control airspeed during approaches and landings. They are not used to increase lift for climbing, they do not primarily reduce drag, and they’re not a primary tool for stabilizing rudder input. So the function described—destroying lift to enable descent—is the correct one.