control column

aircraft part

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The control column is a lever in an airplane that pilots use for primary flight control. It operates the elevators, which control the aircraft's pitch (nose up or down), and the ailerons, which control its roll (banking left or right), often through a wheel at the top of the column. Forward movement of the column lowers the elevators, pitching the nose down, while backward movement raises them, pitching the nose up. Turning the wheel causes the ailerons to move in opposite directions, initiating a roll. In modern aircraft, these controls may be electronic, a system known as "fly-by-wire".12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

airplane
Elevator, aileron, and rudder controls
…of a stick or wheel control column and rudder pedals, which control the movement of the elevator and ailerons and the rudder, respectively, through a system of cables or rods. In very sophisticated modern aircraft, there is no direct mechanical linkage between the pilot’s controls and the control surfaces; instead
Read More
…of a stick or wheel control column and rudder pedals, which control the movement of the elevator and ailerons and the rudder, respectively, through a system of cables or rods. In very sophisticated modern aircraft, there is no direct mechanical linkage between the pilot’s controls and the control surfaces; instead
Read More