Cadet Competition Written Practice Exam

The nose right, nose left motion is called ______.

1. Roll

2. Yaw

3. Pitch

4. Turn

The correct answer is: Yaw

The motion referred to as "nose right, nose left" is known as yaw. This term describes the rotation of an aircraft around its vertical axis, which causes the nose of the airplane to move left or right. Yaw is controlled primarily by the aircraft's rudder and is a critical aspect of flight dynamics, influencing how an aircraft navigates and turns in the horizontal plane. In contrast, roll refers to the rotation around the aircraft's longitudinal axis, which tilts the wings up or down; pitch involves rotation around the lateral axis, changing the nose position up or down; and turn is a broader term that may encompass combinations of yaw, roll, and pitch but does not specifically denote the movement of the nose side to side. Understanding yaw is essential in aviation as it contributes to coordinated turns and maintaining the desired flight path.