The empennage includes which components?

• A. Wings
• B. Fuselage
• C. Vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, and associated control surfaces
• D. Engine

Answer: (C)

The empennage is the tail assembly of an airplane, whose main job is to provide stability and control in yaw and pitch. It consists of the vertical stabilizer (the fin) and the horizontal stabilizer, and each of these has its own control surface: the rudder on the vertical stabilizer for yaw control, and the elevators on the horizontal stabilizer for pitch control. Trim surfaces may also be included to adjust control pressures and maintain stable flight. Wing surfaces, the fuselage, and the engine are separate parts of the aircraft, not part of the tail assembly. So the tail’s stability and control come specifically from the vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, and their associated control surfaces.