Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

At first glance, ailerons look like ordinary hinged panels on the wings, but don’t be fooledthey’re important for keeping an aircraft both stable and maneuverable. But theres much more to ailerons than just rolling left or right. Or how do modern airplanes reduce dangerous effects like aileron flutter or adverse yaw?

Aileron

Pilot Institute

JUNE 4, 2025

Elevons and Control Surfaces An ingenious solution is to combine the elevator and aileron, which gives you: the elevon. They combine the functions of elevators and ailerons. Theyre typically installed on each side of the aircraft at the trailing edge of the wing, where the ailerons typically are. Why design an aircraft this way?

Tail

Pilot Institute

JULY 11, 2025

For most aircraft with highly cambered wings or thick profiles, airflow accelerates over the top of the wing. Ailerons can suffer from a phenomenon called “aileron buzz” or control reversal at high Mach. So you might be flying at, say, Mach 0.85 It’s not just the tail that experiences control issues.

True Airspeed