Stabilizer - Definition and Overview

The tail of a Lufthansa airliner (Airbus A319) in flight, showing the horizontal stabilizer

Mathematics: see Group action.

In food or chemicals, a stabilizer is a substance added to prevent or retard an unwanted change in physical state.

For aircraft, the horizontal stabilizer is a fixed or adjustable surface from which an elevator may be hinged, while a vertical stabilizer (also called a fin) is fixed to the aircraft and supports the rudder. For aircraft with a v-tail each stablizer/fin will support a "ruddervator", combining the functions of the rudder and the elevator.

Bicycle stabilizers are an additional wheel or wheels mounted parallel to the rear wheel and which assist learners until they have developed a usable sense of balance on the bicycle. Typically stabilizers will be used in teaching very young children to ride a bike.

Ship stabilizers are fins mounted beneath the waterline and emerging laterally; in contemporary vessels, they may be gyroscopically controlled active fins, which have the capacity to change their angle of attack to counteract roll caused by wind of waves acting on the ship.

External links

• Sperry Marine (http://www.sperry-marine.com/gyrofin/Index.asp) - manufacturers of ship stabilizers.