Spoilers are used for which purpose during flight?

• A. Descent without gaining speed.
• B. To increase climb rate.
• C. To shorten takeoff distance.
• D. To heat the wing.

Answer: (A)

Spoilers are used to spoil lift and add drag. When they’re deployed, the wing produces less lift and more drag, causing the airplane to sink more rapidly. This lets you descend efficiently without increasing airspeed, which is especially useful during approaches or when you need to lose altitude while keeping a controlled speed. The other options don’t fit because spoilers don’t help you climb, they don’t shorten takeoff distance (you generally want maximum lift and lowest drag for takeoff), and they aren’t used for wing heating.