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Stability for an airplane means that it will resist change in direction and even restore itself to the original course. Control is the science of flying and handling an aircraft. The control engineer's goal is an aircraft that is safe, responds to the controls, and is relatively easy for the pilot to fly. Another way to think about stability is the ability of the plane to fly itself! The small airplanes used at local airports are very stable; they are good for both beginning pilots and the more experienced pilots. They are very easy to fly and very forgiving of pilot mistakes. Commercial aircraft are moderately stable. The pilot must pay more attention to fly them smoothly. Commercial aircraft are built so that they turn smoothly so as not to upset the passengers. Some military aircraft, especially fighters, are not very stable at all. This makes the aircraft much more difficult to fly, but the pilot can maneuver (turn) the plane very quickly. This could be very important in an aerial dogfight!
The pilot can change the motion of an airplane by moving the controls.
The controls cause changes in one or more of the forces of flight.
The ability to do this is
called control. Using control surfaces, such as the rudder, ailerons,
elevators, or spoilers (structure), the pilot changes the way the forces
act on the airplane. This may cause the airplane to change direction
(control), increase or decrease speed (propulsion), or fly at at a lower
or higher altitude (lift). In an emergency, some planes can also dump
fuel to lighten the weight.
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