vertical stabilizer

noun, Aeronautics

the fixed vertical surface of an aircraft empennage, to which the rudder is hinged.

Also called fin, vertical fin.

Examples from the web for vertical stabilizer

During the landing, the airplane nosed over and the vertical stabilizer was bent.
According to the inspectors, the airplane's vertical stabilizer, rudder and the firewall sustained substantial damage.
Inspect vertical stabilizer attach bolts for looseness.
The aft fuselage forward of the vertical stabilizer was impact and fire damaged with portions consumed by fire.

British Dictionary definitions for vertical stabilizer

noun

the US name for fin¹ (sense 3a)