Spoilers are an example of which type of flight controls?

• A. Primary flight controls
• B. Secondary flight controls
• C. Trim systems
• D. Engine controls

Answer: (B)

Spoilers are considered secondary flight controls because they modify the wing’s lift and drag rather than directly commanding the aircraft’s attitude through the primary surfaces. Primary flight controls—ailerons, elevators, and the rudder—are the main means to change the aircraft’s pitch, roll, and yaw in response to pilot input. Spoilers (including differential deployment for roll or full deployment as airbrakes) alter lift and drag to aid descent, increase deceleration, or assist roll, but they don’t replace the primary surfaces for steady, intentional attitude changes. Trim systems, in contrast, are used to maintain a selected attitude with minimal control input, not to change lift characteristics on demand, and engine controls govern power rather than lift distribution.