Which axis corresponds to yaw?

• A. Vertical axis
• B. Longitudinal axis
• C. Lateral axis
• D. Transverse axis

Answer: (A)

Yaw is rotation about the vertical axis. This axis runs top to bottom through the aircraft’s center of gravity and is perpendicular to the wings. Turning about this axis changes the aircraft’s heading left or right without necessarily tilting the nose up or down or banking. That horizontal rotation is what we call yaw, and it’s primarily produced by the rudder.

For contrast, rolling is rotation about the longitudinal axis (nose to tail) and tilts the wings, while pitching is rotation about the lateral axis (wing to wing) and changes the nose position up or down. Together, these three mutually perpendicular axes describe how the airplane moves and reorients in three-dimensional space.