"The Anatomy of the Aeroplane." "This is the cockpit of a Spitfire. It is a maze...

"The Anatomy of the Aeroplane."

"This is the cockpit of a Spitfire. It is a maze of instruments all of which are necessary in a highly developed modern aeroplane. But the essential controls of any aircraft are in fact quite simple. In the centre of the picture is the control column with a looped handlebar, and beneath that ar the two stirrups of the rudder bar. These, together with the throttles that control the speed of the engines, are the basic controls. The control column can move backwards and forwards, causing the aircraft to climb or dive; and left and right which activates small surfaces called ailerons on the wings causing them to tip up or down."