Stabilator

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A stabilator is an aircraft control surface that combines the functions of an elevator and a horizontal stabilizer.

Most fixed-wing aircraft control pitch using a hinged horizontal flap — the elevator — attached to the back of the fixed horizontal stabilizer, but some aircraft make the entire stabilizer movable. Because it involves a large moving surface, a stabilator can allow the pilot to generate greater pitching moment with the same amount of effort, but that also leads to a greater risk of a stall — as a result, stabilators normally contain an anti-servo tab (sometimes combined with the trim tab) that deflects in the same direction of the stabilator, making it more difficult to move suddenly.

Many light aircraft, including the Piper Cherokee and Mooney M20 (but not the Cessna 172), use a stabilator rather than an elevator. They are also common on combat aircraft such as the F-104 Starfighter. All non-delta-winged supersonic aircraft use stabilators because shockwaves can form on the elevator hinge, eliminating the elevator's effectiveness as an aerodynamic control surface.

At least two sailplane designs use stabilators: the Schweizer SGS 2-32 and the PZL Bielsko SZD 36 Cobra.

[edit] External link

• Stabilators (NASA) — includes Java applet