a. and sb. [f. STEER v.1 + -ABLE.]
A. adj. That may be steered or guided, dirigible.
1836. L. Hunt, in New Monthly Mag., XLVIII. 60. Balloons shall be equally safe and guidable, steerable against the wind.
1884. Pall Mall Gaz., 1 Oct., 7/2. A steerable balloon.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 30 May, 10/2. A steerable torpedo.
B. sb. A dirigible balloon. rare.
1908. Daily News, 25 Dec., 5. Between the German steerable, the ‘Zeppelin,’ and the French craft … there are some important differences.
Hence Steerability.
1883. Sydney Morn. Herald, 3 Dec., 4/2. They exhibited … the ‘steerability’ of their vessel by causing it to move in various directions, to the amazement of the lookers-on.
1907. Westm. Gaz., 4 Dec., 10/1. ‘La Patrie,’ the French airship … gave a marvellous exhibition of its steerability.
