Remove Stability Remove Tail Remove Torque
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Understanding Left-Turning Tendencies in Airplanes

Northstar VFR

Torque is most noticeable when power is applied suddenly for example, during takeoff. As the propeller spins, it creates a spiral pattern of airflow that wraps around the fuselage and strikes the left side of the vertical stabilizer (rudder). This force pushes the tail to the right, causing the nose to yaw left.

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Everything You Need To Know About Ailerons

Pilot Institute

What Is Aircraft Stability? Stability is the aircrafts tendency to maintain its attitude or orientation. This means that they have to be effective enough to counter the aircrafts inherent lateral stability. Lateral stability depends on the aircrafts design. potentially reverting the aileron back into a tail-heavy state.

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The Role of Newton’s Third Law in Aviation

Pilot Institute

The complication with helicopters is that the main rotor is driven by an engine that applies a twisting force (torque) to spin it. This is called torque reaction, and if its left unchecked, the helicopter fuselage will spin in the opposite direction of the main rotor. These rotors create equal and opposite torques that cancel out.

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Unbolted in Fairfield (Update on the 2022 Bell 407 GXP Crash)

Fear of Landing

At approximately 30-40 feet agl, the spinning stopped and the helicopter appeared to stabilize for a brief moment before continuing a nose-low, forward descent into the grass north of Runway 28. The operator confirmed that the tail rotor had been installed the day before the accident. As it descended it spun around 2-3 times.

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The Fenestron Factor: Cabri G2 Crash in Gruyéres

Fear of Landing

The Cabri G2 comprises a shrouded tail rotor, usually referred to as a “Fenestron” (a registered trade mark of Eurocopter) that was proven to provide excellent maneuverability in every flight condition, in every direction of flight up to 40 kt at least. They crashed into a field east of the runway, breaking the skids off.

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Overcoming the Five Most Common Landing Errors

Flight Training Central

As the airplane contacts the ground, the tail will be forced down very rapidly by the back-elevator pressure and by inertia acting downward on the tail. Remember that torque will be created as power is applied; therefore, it will be necessary to use rudder pressure to keep the airplane straight as it settles onto the runway.

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Is Flying a Helicopter Harder Than Flying a Plane? A Comparative Analysis

Pilot's Life Blog

Managing these elements requires continuous adjustments by the pilot to maintain stability and control. The elevator, situated on the horizontal tail surface, adjusts pitch, raising or lowering the nose for ascent or descent. The rudder, attached to the vertical tail fin, manages yaw, enabling the nose to move left or right.