tailplane
noun
tail·plane
ˈtāl-ˌplān 
: the horizontal tail surfaces of an airplane including the stabilizer and the elevator
Examples of tailplane in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The design reportedly includes a mix of canards, tailplanes, and active surfaces to maintain stability while the wing is in motion.
—
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2025
So are the tailplane, flaps, hydraulic systems, fuel pumps and three of six engines of the plane, which was destroyed in fighting in the first days of the war.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2023
Followers have replied to the videos with a slew of suggestions to improve the drone, many of them focused on safety, such as warning the soldier launching it to watch out he does not get hit by the tailplane and maybe think about a catapult launcher instead.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023
Fuselage sections came from Hamburg, Germany, and Saint-Nazaire, France; the horizontal tailplane was manufactured in Cadiz, Spain; and the vertical tail fin was also made in Hamburg.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 15 Dec. 2021
The back wall is padded, presumably to stop any unstowed objects from crashing out of the tailplane.
—Sebastian Anthony, Ars Technica, 3 July 2017
Their position not only protects them from being damaged by foreign objects flying up from unprepared runways, but also directs their exhaust over the tailplane, helping to shield them from detection by infrared surface-to-air missiles.
—Eric Tegler, Popular Mechanics, 19 Nov. 2016
There were almost 11 square meters of them, on the curvy top part of the wings, the tail boom, and the tailplane.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Aug. 2013
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Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2025
So are the tailplane, flaps, hydraulic systems, fuel pumps and three of six engines of the plane, which was destroyed in fighting in the first days of the war.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2023
Followers have replied to the videos with a slew of suggestions to improve the drone, many of them focused on safety, such as warning the soldier launching it to watch out he does not get hit by the tailplane and maybe think about a catapult launcher instead.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023
Fuselage sections came from Hamburg, Germany, and Saint-Nazaire, France; the horizontal tailplane was manufactured in Cadiz, Spain; and the vertical tail fin was also made in Hamburg.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 15 Dec. 2021
The back wall is padded, presumably to stop any unstowed objects from crashing out of the tailplane.
—Sebastian Anthony, Ars Technica, 3 July 2017
Their position not only protects them from being damaged by foreign objects flying up from unprepared runways, but also directs their exhaust over the tailplane, helping to shield them from detection by infrared surface-to-air missiles.
—Eric Tegler, Popular Mechanics, 19 Nov. 2016
There were almost 11 square meters of them, on the curvy top part of the wings, the tail boom, and the tailplane.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Aug. 2013
Cite this Entry
“Tailplane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailplane. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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