An aileron is a section on the back of an airplane wing that attaches to it with hinges and can move up and down. Coordinated movement of ailerons on both wings can control a plane’s roll and thus change its direction. Ailerons are an alternative system to the wing warping design that the Wright brothers used for lateral control.

In aeronautics, camber concerns the curvature of an airplane wing—specifically, the difference, or asymmetry, between the curvatures of the top and bottom of a wing. Camber determines the amount of lift that a wing produces, which is important for controlling a plane and keeping it airborne.

Drag, or air resistance, is the force on a plane as it moves through the air. Friction and other phenomena create drag, which exerts pressure and slows the plane. A more aerodynamic shape creates less drag.