General Aviation Rudder Tail 
Plane and Pilot
JANUARY 12, 2025
Many years ago, while working my way through college pumping avgas at the local airport, I discovered that one of our university deans owned a diminutive two-seat, twin-tailed airplanean Ercoupe. He was proud of his little bird, with its unique split sliding canopy, no rudder pedals, and a delightful art deco instrument panel.
Simple Flying
FEBRUARY 6, 2025
With a maximum speed of 95 Knots (109 MPH, 176 km/h), the aircraft features an angle of attack indicator and a T-tail to keep the elevator and rudder in the propeller slipstream. This allows effective steering even with the shark fin water rudder retracted.
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Pilot Institute
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Adverse yaw is a side effect of aileron use, countered by rudder input. In recent times, composite materials have been introduced for flight controls even in small general aviation aircraft. Fly-by-wire is expensive, so you wont find it on most small general aviation aircraft. What Is an Aileron?
Pilot Institute
APRIL 12, 2025
High camber generally promotes more airflow deflection, thanks to something called Bernoullis Principle. This is why the typical airfoil shape has a curved top and a flat bottom, especially in slower-speed general aviation aircraft. The tail rotor pushes air to one side ( action ), and the tail moves the other way ( reaction ).
Pilot Institute
NOVEMBER 23, 2024
PARE: Power idle, Ailerons neutral, Rudder opposite, Elevator forward. A flat spin happens when the center of gravity shifts too far aft (toward the tail), and the aircraft’s rotation becomes more horizontal. Rudder: Full opposite input to the spin direction. Ready to become a safer pilot? Let’s get started! Ailerons: Neutral.
Flying Magazine
JUNE 12, 2025
Coming into its own in the golden era of postwar general aviation, the classic two-seater still offers easy, economical flying with a low operating cost and big curb appeal on any airport ramp. Though more than 75 years have passed since it rolled off the assembly line, this Ercoupe embodies a timeless sense of fun.
Photographic Logbook
JUNE 29, 2025
The tail number caught my ear as familiar and when the mental gears finally meshed enough to process that it spelled out "Tiger", I realized that I was hearing Bruno from Fly with Bruno who was out doing what Bruno does. A pair of partial Ercoupes with distinctive twin tails occupy the main museum floor. Delaware River. Delaware River.
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