Which statement best describes the primary flight controls on the 737?

Which statement best describes the primary flight controls on the 737?

• A. Spoilers
• B. Flaps
• C. Leading Edge Devices
• D. Elevators, Ailerons, and Rudder

Answer: (D)

Primary flight controls are the surfaces you use to directly change the airplane’s attitude and flight path. On the 737, those are the elevators, ailerons, and rudder. The elevators on the horizontal stabilizer move to pitch the nose up or down; the ailerons on the wing trailing edges tilt to roll the wings and bank the aircraft; the rudder on the vertical stabilizer moves to yaw the nose left or right. These surfaces work together to control pitch, roll, and yaw in all phases of flight. Spoilers, flaps, and leading-edge devices serve other roles—spoilers help slow the airplane and can assist roll under some conditions, while flaps and leading-edge devices increase lift at low speeds for takeoff and landing. They do not provide the direct, primary control of attitude in normal flight, which is why elevators, ailerons, and rudder best describe the primary flight controls.

Primary flight controls are the surfaces you use to directly change the airplane’s attitude and flight path. On the 737, those are the elevators, ailerons, and rudder. The elevators on the horizontal stabilizer move to pitch the nose up or down; the ailerons on the wing trailing edges tilt to roll the wings and bank the aircraft; the rudder on the vertical stabilizer moves to yaw the nose left or right. These surfaces work together to control pitch, roll, and yaw in all phases of flight. Spoilers, flaps, and leading-edge devices serve other roles—spoilers help slow the airplane and can assist roll under some conditions, while flaps and leading-edge devices increase lift at low speeds for takeoff and landing. They do not provide the direct, primary control of attitude in normal flight, which is why elevators, ailerons, and rudder best describe the primary flight controls.