In the cockpit

Yokes, sidesticks and pedals

How do the pilots actually steer?

Pilots move a yoke (Boeing) or sidestick (Airbus) to pitch and roll the aircraft. Pulling back raises the nose; moving left or right banks. The rudder pedals move the rudder and steer the nose wheel on the ground.

In modern fly-by-wire aircraft, those movements go to computers that command the control surfaces, with protections to keep the aircraft within safe limits. Older aircraft have cables and hydraulics.

A little deeper

Elevators control pitch, ailerons and spoilers control roll and the rudder controls yaw. The stabiliser trim moves to reduce the pilot's workload.

Move the control in the demo to see which surface responds.

See it in Gate 41, in the cockpit

Related questions

• Why does the plane tilt in turns?
• Why does the wing seem to come apart?

People involved

• Captain Imani OkaforCaptain (pilot in command)
• First Officer Mateo AlvarezFirst officer (co-pilot)