Elevator
In the context of aerospace engineering, an elevator is a control surface, usually located at the rear of an aircraft, that controls the pitch of the aircraft, and thus the angle of attack and the lift of the wing. The elevator works by changing the amount of force generated by the tail surface and is used to maintain altitude or to climb or descend. It is a part of the empennage, or tail assembly, and works in conjunction with the rudder and ailerons to control flight. When the pilot pulls back on the control stick, the elevators go up, pushing down the tail and causing the nose to pitch up, thus making the aircraft climb. If the pilot pushes forward, the elevators go down, lifting the tail and causing the nose to pitch down, thus making the aircraft descend. The elevator is a critical component in the control of aircraft in flight.
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