What do the ailerons control?

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

Answer: (B)

Ailerons produce motion around the aircraft’s long axis, which is roll. They move in opposite directions on the two wings, creating a difference in lift between the wings. When one wing’s lift decreases and the other’s increases, the airplane banks and rolls toward the wing with the upward-deflected surface. This rolling action is what starts a turn or levels the wings in straight flight. The elevator handles pitch (nose up or down), the rudder handles yaw (nose left or right), and altitude changes as a result of pitch and lift rather than being controlled directly by a single surface.