[ELI5] Why are planes’ engines slightly tilted down?

Question

[ELI5] Why are planes’ engines slightly tilted down?

In: 178

Answer 1

Aircraft engines are oriented to minimize the effect of thrust changes on the aircraft’s attitude (orientation). Where an engine is mounted below the aircraft’s centre of gravity, increasing thrust tends to pitch the aircraft up. Tilting the engines down a bit lessens this effect, so when thrust increases substantially, the aircraft tends to remain level.

The same thing applies to aircraft with engines mounted up high (such as some amphibian airplanes). In these cases, increasing thrust tends to pitch the aircraft down. These engines are tilted up slightly to minimize the pitch moment.