Which term is the final adjustment and alignment of an aircraft?

• A. Rigging
• B. Rigidity
• C. Rime ice
• D. RNAV

Answer: (A)

Rigging is the final adjustment and alignment of an aircraft, where control cables, pushrods, and linkages are tuned so that each control surface aligns with the airframe and travels through its full range without binding or slack. This careful setup makes sure the ailerons, elevator, and rudder move in precise correspondence with the pilot’s inputs and the airplane’s intended flight characteristics. Proper rigging ensures predictable control response, accurate surface alignment, and stable handling, preventing subtle issues like uneven control forces or surfaces not tracking correctly. It’s different from rigidity, which is about structural stiffness, from rime ice, which is a type of icing, and from RNAV, a navigation method.