control stick

American  

noun

Aeronautics.

1. a lever by which a pilot controls the ailerons and elevator of an aircraft.

---

control stick British  

noun

1. Also called: control column.   joy stick.  the lever by which a pilot controls the lateral and longitudinal movements of an aircraft

---

Etymology

Origin of control stick

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

A pilot was seriously injured in a crash shortly after take-off because a container of de-icing fluid was blocking the control stick.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2022

To wipe the table, for example, you move the control stick in specific directions.

From The Verge • Jun. 2, 2022

Scott takes another handful of Cheetos, grabs the control stick, and leans back.

From Scientific American • Feb. 12, 2018

And then Bonin made a simple mistake: he pulled back on his control stick and the plane started to climb steeply.

From The Guardian • Oct. 11, 2016

The more nervous I got, the tighter I would clutch the control stick, and at the end of an hour my right arm would ache.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins