Which set of surfaces are the three primary flight controls of an aircraft?

• A. Flaps, slats, and slots
• B. Elevator, rudder, and trim tabs
• C. Vortex generators and spoilers
• D. The ailerons, elevator, and rudder

Answer: (D)

Three surfaces directly control the airplane’s orientation in flight: the ailerons on the wings for roll, the elevator on the horizontal tail for pitch, and the rudder on the vertical tail for yaw. These are the primary flight controls because they are used to change attitude during normal flight.

Flaps, slats, and slots are high‑lift devices, not primary control surfaces. Vortex generators are flow-control devices, and spoilers (while they can affect lift and assist in certain maneuvers) are not part of the standard trio of primary controls. Trim tabs adjust the neutral position of a control surface to reduce pilot workload, but they don’t directly change attitude in real time. Thus, the three primary flight controls are the ailerons, elevator, and rudder.