What Are Rudder Pedals?

Airplane Control Surfaces

• Control surfaces are moving parts on the wings and tail that change the aircraft's direction. Modern aircraft have three basic control surfaces. Elevators, located on each of the rear wings, move up and down at the same time and control the aircraft's pitch, or up and down movement. Ailerons, located on each of the main wings, move up and down at opposite times and thus cause the aircraft to roll from side to side. The rudder, located on the tail, causes the aircraft to turn without rolling, and is used to make smooth changes in direction. Ailerons are activated by moving the airplane's control stick from side to side, and elevators are activated by moving the same stick backward or forward.

Rudder Pedal Designs

• Rudder control is maintained through a device at the pilot's feet. In early aircraft, pedals were attached to a "rudder bar," which rotated around a central axis and was directly connected via control wires to the airplane's rudder. Modern aircraft use a sliding pedal design; as one pedal is pushed forward, the other pedal is pushed backwards. This keeps the pilot from trying to apply opposite rudder forces at the same time. Pushing the leftmost pedal forward on a sliding design, or pushing the left side of the rudder bar forward, turns the aircraft to the left; conversely, pushing on the right pedal causes the aircraft to yaw to the right. In some aircraft, the pedals themselves can be pushed down as well as forward or backward, activating the aircraft's wheel brakes just like in a car.

Antitorque Pedals

• Helicopters use a superficially similar system that performs the same function. In a helicopter, "antitorque pedals," located in the same position as aircraft rudder pedals, are linked directly to the tail rotor. Most helicopters have one main rotor that pulls the helicopter upwards; as it spins, it imparts a spin to the helicopter as well. The tail rotor is designed to counteract this spin (or torque), keeping the helicopter moving in a straight line. By increasing or decreasing the power to the tail rotor via the antitorque pedals, a pilot rotates the helicopter in the same way he turns an airplane.

Gaming Rudder Pedals

• Rudder pedals don't just see use in real-world airplanes, of course. Numerous manufacturers make replica rudder pedals to use with commercial flight simulators. These are generally made of plastic, not metal, and are much less expensive than the control equipment used on real airplanes, but they enhance the simulation experience for real pilots by more accurately replicating the controls available in an actual cockpit. Computer rudder pedals generally connect via USB, and are therefore compatible with all modern operating systems.