Parts of an aeroplane
⏱ 10 min
Open the 3D aircraft explorer and use the explode slider to see each part separately.
- Fuselage — the body; carries crew, passengers and cargo.
- Wings — make lift; carry fuel tanks, ailerons (outer trailing edge) and flaps (inner trailing edge).
- Empennage (tail unit) — fin (vertical stabiliser) with the rudder, and tailplane (horizontal stabiliser) with the elevator.
- Power plant — engine, propeller with spinner, cowling, exhaust.
- Undercarriage (landing gear) — main wheels and nose wheel (tricycle) or tail wheel ("taildragger").
- Cockpit — instruments, controls, windscreen.
Basic six flight instruments
Airspeed indicator, attitude indicator (artificial horizon), altimeter, turn coordinator, heading indicator, vertical speed indicator.