Stabilizer vs Stabilator. What’s the Difference?
A stabilator vs stabilizer, are both horizontal stabilizers, they look almost identical and they both control the pitch movement of an aircraft, however, how they go about doing so is different in one key way. Horizontal stabilizers, in many aircraft, are fixed and the pitch movement is controlled by up and down deflection of elevators on the trailing edge. Stabilators, on the other hand, are fully movable horizontal stabilizers.
On many modern commercial airliners the horizontal stabilizers are designed to also move, like a stabilator. There is one key difference, the movement of a horizontal stabilizer is used for pitch trim. In the case of a stabilator, trim is usually controlled through elevators and pitch control is directly input through the yolk or control stick by the pilot.
Stabilators are most common on high-performance fighter jets. There are also several small general aviation airplane which also use stabilators such as the the Piper Cherokee and the Socata TB9 Tampico. The Lockheed L-1011 is a notable airliner exception to how airliners are now designed, the horizontal stabilizer on it was an actual stabilator.
