Stabilizer (aircraft)
An aircraft stabilizer is usually a tail surface assembly, including flight control surfaces, that provides longitudinal or directional stability and control. Depending on the context, "stabilizer" may sometimes describe only the front part of the tail assembly.
In the conventional aircraft configuration, stabilizers are positioned at the tail of the aircraft, and vertical and horizontal stabilizers are distinct elements. Longitudinal stability and control may be obtained with other configurations, such as canard, tandem wing or tailless aircraft. Other tail arrangements, such as the V-tail configuration, provide a combination of longitudinal (pitch) and directional (yaw) stabilization and control.
Stabilizers can feature fixed structures on which movable control surfaces are hinged, or they can be operated as a fully movable tail surface (all-moving tail).
Some types of aircraft are stabilized with electronic flight control; in this case, fixed and movable surfaces located anywhere along the aircraft may serve as active motion dampers or stabilizers.
Read more about Stabilizer (aircraft): Longitudinal Balance, Stability and Control, Wing-stabilizer Interaction, Directional Stabilization and Control, Combined Longitudinal - Directional Stabilization and Control