Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A control surface on an airplane that combines the functions of an elevator and an aileron.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a moveable surface at the trailing edge of a tailless airplane (such as the space shuttle) that provides pitch and roll control

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[elev(ator) + (ailer)on.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Blend of elevator and aileron

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word elevon.

Examples

  • There was evidence that during the breakup sequence, the right Solid Rocket Booster struck the outboard end of the Orbiter's right wing and right outboard elevon.

    Shuttle Shutdown Coming - NASA Watch 2009

  • A special schedule of elevon position with respect to velocity is followed to protect the wings from excessive loads and to hold the body flap and rudder/speed brake in place.

    Transition Team Update - NASA Watch 2009

  • Each tail boom supports a horizontal tail with an elevon at its trailing edge.

    NASA Watch: Keith Cowing: April 2007 Archives 2007

  • Hoot would later tell me his eyes were never long from the elevon position indicators, certain a left-right split in those instruments would be the first hint the right wing was melting.

    Riding Rockets Astronaut Mike Mullane 2006

  • Hoot would later tell me his eyes were never long from the elevon position indicators, certain a left-right split in those instruments would be the first hint the right wing was melting.

    Riding Rockets Astronaut Mike Mullane 2006

  • Hoot would later tell me his eyes were never long from the elevon position indicators, certain a left-right split in those instruments would be the first hint the right wing was melting.

    Riding Rockets Astronaut Mike Mullane 2006

  • Hoot would later tell me his eyes were never long from the elevon position indicators, certain a left-right split in those instruments would be the first hint the right wing was melting.

    Riding Rockets Astronaut Mike Mullane 2006

  • He said, All four of them are located in the aft part of the left wing, right in front of the elevons ... elevon actuators.

    Columbia's Last Flight 2003

  • Kling answered, "To the left outboard and left inboard elevon."

    Columbia's Last Flight 2003

  • Kling answered, "To the left outboard and left inboard elevon."

    Columbia's Last Flight 2003

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.