Vertical stabilizer and rudder
The vertical stabilizer functions with the same principle a wing does, but being symmetrical. It is a main control surface of airplanes (fixed-wing aircrafts). Obviously, it has a vertical position, usually in the tail of the aircraft. There can be multiple vertical stabilizers (in large aircrafts usually).
The vertical stabilizer has a moving part which is called rudder. This acts as an aileron does in the wing. When it is moved to one or other side it produces a pressure difference over the stabilizer since its movement is equal to change the angle of attack of this 'wing'.
The rudder controls the Y-axis or yaw of the plane and it is controlled from the cockpit with the pedals. In a coordinated turn, rudder and ailerons must be coordinated, but you can use rudder only to 'slide' the aircraft.
Some rudders are mixed with elevators in the same control surface, creating V-tail aircrafts.
Horizontal stabilizer and elevator
The horizontal stabilizer is the main control surface of the aircraft, mainly of airplanes (fixed-wing aircraft). It functions as a wing does, creating a second point of lift along the fuselage which provides stability to the aircraft in the Z-axis. Its function is not to provide more lift but to control the pitch of the aircraft (by modifying the angle of attack of the wing). This is thanks to a moving part or parts called elevators, which act like an aileron, and are controlled by the longitudinal axis of the joystick or wheel.
Obviously, the horizontal stabilizer has a horizontal position, usually in the tail of the aircraft. It can be on top of the vertical stabilizer (T-tail aircraft), or divided in two parts crossing the vertical stabilizer. Some horizontal stabilizers have no elevators but are a whole elevator (mainly in gliders, since it has a better aerodynamic performance). In Canard-configuration planes, the horizontal stabilizer is positioned not in the tail but in the nose of the aircraft (note that its movement to reduce or increase pitch will be inverted from the one it does when it's placed in the tail).
Sometimes, elevators are mixed with rudders in the same control surface, creating V-tail aircrafts. It also can be combined with ailerons, mainly in delta-wing planes.
Aileron
Ailerons are moving surfaces usually placed near the tips of the wings. The function of an aileron is simple, by moving upwards or downwards it modifies the angle of attack of that section of the wing, sinking or lifting it. This change in the aerodynamic is due to the modification of relative curve of the airfoil. Note that ailerons are complementary, so if one moves the other will move on the other direction in the same proportion. This improves the effect as one wing is lifted and the other sunk. Ailerons control the X-axis or roll movement of the aircraft.
Ailerons are controlled by the pilot from the cockpit, with the lateral axis of the joystick. To make coordinated turns their movement must be combined with rudder in the same direction. In some planes ailerons are just divided elevators, being possible to use the same surface as aileron or elevator (delta-wing airplanes).
Lift control devices
As well as speed and pitch (angle of attack), there are some devices which make possible to modify the lift produced by the wing. These act on the aerodynamics of the wing, mainly on the boundary layer.
Flap
Flaps increase the wing surface or curve generating more lift with the same speed. They are very used on low speed operations, mainly during landings and takeoffs.
Slat
A slat is a thin airfoil deployed form the leading edge of the wing. This acts as a new little wing, but its objective is not to produce lift but to generate the circulation needed for it. Slat circulation will be opposite to wing circulation reducing the highest speed of the boundary layer. This reduces the maximum lift also, making its distribution along the wing softer, but allowing the boundary layer to detach later (by reducing the adverse pressure generated in the trailing edge).
Usually, slats are used with flaps during takeoff and landing operations as both produce extra lift at low speed.
Spoiler
Spoilers are not used for generating lift but for reducing it. They are moving surfaces which are placed vertically across the airfoil. These devices are not very common in piston engine or turboprop airplanes but in turbojet airplanes and gliders.
Powerplant and propulsion devices
Propeller
A propeller is a device which transmits power by converting it into thrust for propulsion of a vehicle such as an airplane, ship, or submarine though a fluid such as water or air, by rotating two or more twisted blades about a central shaft, in a manner analogous to rotating a screw through a solid. The blades of a propeller act as rotating wings, and produce force.
Jet engine
A jet engine produces thrust by compressing air and releasing it through a directed pipe or nozzle. An aircraft jet engine is composed of an intake chamber or valve, a fan, one or several compressors, a combustion chamber, one or several turbines and an exhaust nozzle.
Exercise 1. Match the words to its synonyms:
aircraft speed
wing source of power
tail unit undercarriage
landing gear main plane
power plant empennage
fuselage airplane
velocity central body
Exercise 2. Make the following sentences interrogative and negative.
1. The fuselage is the central body of the airplane. 2. A jet engine produces thrust by compressing air and releasing it through a directed pipe or nozzle. 3. Ailerons are moving surfaces usually placed near the tips of the wings. 4. The vertical stabilizer has a moving part which is called rudder. 5. In commercial aircrafts the empennage is built from the cabin pressure-cone.
Exercise 3. Give definitions to the following terms.
aircraft, fuselage, wing, empennage, landing gear, power plant, spoilers, ailerons, flaps, horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer
Exercise 4. Finish the sentences:
1. … generate most of the lift to hold the plane in the air.
2. The empennage usually includes …
3. ... is the main section of the airplane that houses cargo, passengers and crew.
4. The … controls the Y-axis or yaw of the plane.
5. … are controlled by the pilot from the cockpit, with the lateral axis of the joystick.
6. Slats are used with … during takeoff and landing operations as both produce extra lift at low speed.
7. … produces thrust by compressing air and releasing it through a directed pipe or nozzle.
8. The wheels of most airplanes are …
9. The main types of propulsion devices are …
10. … are airfoils attached to each side of fuselage.
Exercise 5. Translate into English:
На борту літака, що прибув до Чикаго з Парижа, знаходилися 220 пасажирів і 12 членів екіпажу.
Китай постачатиме кермо висоти для літака "Аеробус" А350XWB.
Інтерцептори також називають органами безпосереднього управління підйомною силою.
Реактивний двигун – двигун, що забезпечує просування вперед, швидко випускаючи струмінь рідини або газу в напрямку, протилежному напрямку руху.
Принцип роботи закрилків полягає в тому, що при їх випуску збільшується площа поверхні крила, отже, збільшується і підйомна сила.
Передкрилки – відхиляючі поверхні, встановлені на передній кромці крила.