directional stability

directional stability

[də′rek·shən·əl stə′bil·əd·ē] (aerospace engineering) The property of an aircraft, rocket, or such, enabling it to restore itself from a yawing or side-slipping condition. Also known as weathercock stability.

directional stability

The stability that concerns yawing about the normal, or vertical, axis. An aircraft is directionally stable if when it is temporarily deflected from its course, it tends to return to the original course without any correction applied by the pilot. Also called weathercock stability or yaw stability.