Okuzeka
Aviation vocabulary · Aircraft & Systems

Elevator

Meaning in aviation, with examples

/ˈelɪveɪtər/nounCommon term

In aviation, elevator means: The movable surface on the horizontal part of the tail that makes the nose go up or down. The pilot moves it by pulling or pushing the control column or sidestick.

In Turkish: irtifa dümeni, yükseliş dümeni

How it is used

One of the primary flight controls, together with the ailerons (roll) and the rudder (yaw); the elevator controls pitch. Engineers check its movement and free play during maintenance.

Example sentences

  1. A jammed elevator is one of the most serious flight control failures.

  2. During the flight control check, the first officer moved the sidestick to check full elevator travel.

Common collocations

  • elevator control
  • elevator trim
  • jammed elevator
  • elevator travel
  • fuselageThe main body of an aircraft, which holds the cockpit, the passenger cabin and the cargo holds. The wings and the tail are attached to it.
  • wingEach of the two long surfaces on the sides of an aircraft that produce lift. On airliners the wings often carry the engines and hold most of the fuel.
  • flapsMovable panels on the rear edge of the wings that extend to give more lift at low speed. They are used mainly for takeoff and landing.
  • hydraulicsThe systems that use fluid under high pressure to move heavy parts such as the flight controls, landing gear, flaps and brakes.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Aircraft & Systems

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: