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Benefit of deleting the vertical stabiliser - V-Tail configuration

This has been done on a number of planes over the decades, with the V-tail Bonanza being the best known

and most recently on the Risen UL.

It should reduce drag. But it obviously reduces yaw stability; how is that addressed? In the GA sphere there is no FBW and not even (usually) an autopilot with a yaw damper.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter,

In the case of the V tail Bonanza vs the straight tail version, they are essentially identical in the yaw regime. The V tai actually has more effective vertical surface than its three member brother. The A36 version has better yaw stability but is 10 inches longer. All the Bonanzas exhibit the yaw in turbulence, but as I have understood, it is the wing and not the effective rudder area that is the cause. I do have a yaw damper in my V35A Bonanza and it makes it more comfortable in turbulence and in the climb it acts as a trim for the rudder as the center point is adjustable by a pilot controlled pot. Most of the effect is felt in the rear seats because they move about the CG, whereas the pilot sits pretty much on it and does not feel the yaw as much. It makes the V tail a few knots faster than its brother, but the performance in the POH is identical, which is a lie.

KUZA, United States

I lifted this from a similar discussion on Beechtalk.

’’About 25 years ago, I had lunch at SMX with John Deakin and Barry Schiff a short time after Barry had put accelerometers in the tails of a V-tail and straight tail and MEASURED the “wag” of each. Same day, same formation flight, same air masses. Result? Absolutely NO difference.

There’s that pesky science again…. Walter Beech and his engineers knew what they were doing.’’

Anecdote has the V tail 3-5kts faster than its straight tail brother, but we are not comparing apples with apples. So much can affect the speed performance and it would be difficult to draw comparisons.

Last Edited by BeechBaby at 16 Aug 18:13
Fly safe. I want this thing to land l...
EGPF Glasgow

Don’t forget the Robin ATL, which is also known for doing.m very decent speeds with low horsepower.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

The Fouga Magister comes to mind as well.

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland

I’d never heard of the Fouga before.
Thanks for a cool introduction @Mooney_Driver

Anything designed by Leeon Davis has a V-tail. His planes look a little crude but I’ve read several reports saying they had very nice performance and handling… and good stability.

Predator UAVs and Molt Taylor’s Imp series have inverted V-tails.

As I understand it, the idea is to project the same surface area in both yaw and pitch axes, but with two individually larger surfaces and less intersection drag.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 17 Aug 20:57

Fouga CM.170 Magister is just beautiful, I was told one of the easiest jets to fly !

This one still flies and one of the neat examples out there:

Aerobatic display was not just old Patrouille de France of 10 fougas, everytime two of them meet they make a show

And I jumped in few of them when I was 16 years old dreaming one day I can fly one (none of them flies but they make a nice static displays )

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

@Ibra – and to think, the first jet could have had OH-FML and he missed his chance…

Haha, he would have made the right reg for that picture !

I am still thinking I will go amd visit these guys, maybe when I lose my medical (before they lose theirs ), I think they are well priced at 2k$ vs Mig25 at 20k$ for 40min and they make as much noise

http://www.fouga-magister.fr

Last Edited by Ibra at 17 Aug 21:51
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom
29 Posts
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