Book 23, Question 66
What Are the Panels That Pop Up on the Wings After Landing?
After landing, panels pop up on the wings. They look like little flaps standing up. What are they doing? Spoilers can be raised on just one wing to help a plane roll.
More fun facts
- Spoilers are panels on the top surface of the wing.
- They spoil, or reduce, the lift the wing makes.
- Fast jets are built to slip easily through the air, so they use spoilers as speed brakes to slow down.
- Spoilers can also help a plane roll.
- Even when spoilers are up as speed brakes, some can still help steer the roll.
Sources: faa.gov
Questions kids ask
What other helper controls do wings have?
Flaps, slats and small tabs. Pilots use them along with the main controls.