tailplane

British

/ ˈteɪlˌpleɪn /

noun

Also called (esp US): horizontal stabilizer. a small horizontal wing at the tail of an aircraft to provide longitudinal stability

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s big enough to fit on the tailplane of a 787.

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2023

The concrete construction, which has mock engines, wings and a tailplane, was built by Chrach Pov, 43, and has created a stir in the district of Siem Reap province where he lives.

From Reuters • Feb. 6, 2023

But they do include problems with some critical systems, including the motors used to adjust the horizontal stabiliser - the wing on the tailplane of the aircraft.

From BBC • Nov. 26, 2021

I wonder if my tailplane has been shot away .

From Time Magazine Archive

“Elmtree, for repair. Faulty tailplane handwheel. It’s flyable, but you have to hold the control column right forward.”

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023