Pilot Foundations · Source-checked
Primary controls and the three axes
Learning goals
- Match each primary control to its axis
- Recognize adverse yaw and how rudder corrects it
Ailerons roll the airplane about the longitudinal axis, the elevator pitches it about the lateral axis, and the rudder yaws it about the vertical axis. Trim reduces the pressure you hold, it does not fly the airplane for you.
When you roll into a turn, the rising wing makes more lift and more drag, so the nose yaws away from the turn. The handbook attributes adverse yaw to differential drag and the slight difference in speed of the two wings, and notes it is more pronounced at low airspeed. Coordinated rudder keeps the tail following the nose, which you can confirm with the ball centered.
Assigned reading
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C (2023) with MOSAIC addendum (Oct 2025))
Chapter 6: Flight Controls · Federal Aviation Administration · reviewed 2026-10-21
Self-check
Original practice questions for self-assessment only — not FAA test questions and not a certification.
Study preparation only. Not FAA-approved ground training, no endorsement, logbook or flight-time credit, and no guaranteed test result. Always follow your instructor and the approved AFM/POH for your aircraft.