Aviation Maintenance Terms beginning with L

Lateral stability

The stability about the longitudinal axis of an aircraft; the rolling stability, or the ability of an airplane to return to level flight due to a disturbance that causes one of the wings to drop.

Lever

The simplest machine. There are three basic parts in all levers: the fulcrum “F,” a force or effort “E,” and a resistance “R.” Load cell. A component in an electronic weighing system that is placed between the jack and the jack pad on the aircraft. The load cell contains strain gauges whose resistance changes with the weight on the cell.

Longitudinal magnetization

The magnetic field is produced in a direction parallel to the long axis of the part. This is accomplished by placing the part in a solenoid excited by electric current.

Longitudinal stability

The tendency for an aircraft nose to pitch up or pitch down, rotating around the lateral axis (wingtip to wingtip)