Which term describes an aircraft's ability to follow the pilot's control inputs and maintain the intended flight path?

• A. Controllability
• B. Stability
• C. Maneuverability
• D. Trim

Answer: (A)

Controllability describes how well an aircraft responds to the pilot’s inputs and stays on the intended flight path. It captures the ability to move from the current state to the desired state using the control surfaces and inputs in a predictable, timely way. This is different from stability, which is the aircraft’s natural tendency to resist disturbances or to return to a steady condition without input. Trim refers to adjusting the aircraft so it can maintain a steady flight with minimal control effort. Maneuverability covers how easily the airplane can change its flight path and attitude, but the key idea here is the direct link between control inputs and following the planned path, which is controllability.