Canard is defined as which of the following?

• A. A vertical stabilizer at the tail.
• B. A fixed, movable, or variable geometry surface on the front of the aircraft.
• C. A wing design that uses external struts.
• D. A horizontal surface mounted ahead of the main wing to provide longitudinal stability and control.

Answer: (D)

A canard is a small horizontal lifting surface mounted ahead of the main wing. Its forward position allows it to contribute lift and influence the airplane’s pitching moment, providing additional longitudinal stability and control. Because the foreplane is in front of the center of gravity, it helps create a nose-down tendency that can be trimmed and controlled, and in many designs it stalls before the main wing, which helps prevent deep stalls by causing the nose to drop and reducing the main wing’s angle of attack. This forewing arrangement is what distinguishes a canard from other front-mounted surfaces or tail-mounted stabilizers.