1. Lateral Axis (Pitch):
- Controlled By: Elevator
- Primary Effect: Changes the aircraft’s pitch, raising or lowering the nose, which affects the altitude and airspeed.
- Secondary Effects: A pitch change can also affect the aircraft’s airspeed. For example, pitching up tends to decrease airspeed, while pitching down increases it. Induced drag changes with the angle of attack adjustments.
2. Longitudinal Axis (Roll):
- Controlled By: Ailerons (and in some aircraft, spoilers)
- Primary Effect: Causes the aircraft to roll, tilting the wings up or down. This is used to initiate turns.
- Secondary Effects: Rolling the aircraft can induce a yaw due to adverse yaw (the tendency of the aircraft to yaw in the opposite direction of the roll). This is because the downgoing wing generates more lift and drag, pulling the nose away from the turn.
3. Vertical Axis (Yaw):
- Controlled By: Rudder
- Primary Effect: Yaws the nose of the aircraft left or right, changing its horizontal direction without banking.
- Secondary Effects: Excessive yaw can lead to a sideslip condition, where the aircraft moves sideways through the air, which can be used deliberately for crosswind landings or to decrease airspeed. It can also affect the roll due to the dihedral effect.
Flight Controls and Effects:
- Elevators: Control pitch on the lateral axis.
- Ailerons: Control roll on the longitudinal axis.
- Rudder: Controls yaw on the vertical axis.
Understanding these primary and secondary effects is crucial for pilots to manage the aircraft’s attitude and energy efficiently, especially during maneuvers, takeoffs, and landings. Each control’s effect can vary depending on the phase of flight, airspeed, and other dynamic factors, making hands-on experience and training essential for proficiency.
Related to Three Axis