If the airplane attitude remains in a new position after the elevator control is pressed forward and released, the airplane displays which stability condition?

• A. Positive static stability
• B. Negative static stability
• C. Lateral stability
• D. Neutral longitudinal static stability

Answer: (C)

Pitch stability around the longitudinal axis is being tested. When you push the elevator forward, you set the nose down and change the airplane’s pitch. If, after releasing, the aircraft remains in the new pitch position, that shows neutral longitudinal static stability—the aircraft does not tend to return to the original attitude, nor does it diverge further away. Positive longitudinal static stability would make the airplane nose back toward its original attitude after the disturbance, while negative would push it further away. Lateral stability, on the other hand, relates to how the aircraft resists rolling motions about the longitudinal axis, not to pitch changes caused by elevator input. So the described behavior indicates neutral longitudinal static stability.