Lateral axis/Longitudinal stability

[JordanD]

Unless I'm missing something completely obvious, why is pitch stability referred to as longitudinal stability while pitch is on the lateral axis?

 

[pilot1278]

Yes.

Pitch = longitudinal stability
Roll = lateral stability

Think in terms of the direction a particular axis is traveling. Longitudinal stability occurs along the longitudinal axis, and affects the pitch. Lateral (roll) stability occurs along the lateral axis and affects the roll. Yaw stability occus along the yaw axis and affects the yaw.

 

[MikeD]

Unless I'm missing something completely obvious, why is pitch stability referred to as longitudinal stability while pitch is on the lateral axis?

pitch stability/instability (up and down movement) occurs along the longituidinal axis from fore to aft. Roll stability left/right occurs along the lateral axis along the wings.

 

[RICHARD5]

Think rotation. About which axis is the movement (pitch/roll/yaw) rotating? It may also be helpful to think in terms of moments and arms or levers and fulcrums.

 

[MikeD]

Think rotation. About which axis is the movement (pitch/roll/yaw) rotating? It may also be helpful to think in terms of moments and arms or levers and fulcrums.

What does this have to do with anything?

 

[JordanD]

I went and looked it up in the PHAK again. I believe the wording they used was "Longitudinal stability about the lateral axis." Not confusing at all!