V tails

[jucie]

What do you think about V tails?
Are they worth the trouble?
Are they as effective as a regular tail?
Does the same principles about "imerse stabs" apply?

(John Landry, I am eager to know what are you thoughts, as everybody knows you used to had one in your award winner Gyrobee some time ago.)

Thanks in advance.

[Doug Riley]

Jucie: The theory behind the V-tail on the Bonanza concerned drag reduction. Each joint between the fuselage and a tail surface (or wing) creates drag. A conventional airplane tail has three such joints. The Bonanza theory was that two joints would have less drag than three. This aerodynamic fine-tuning has no relevance for our slow and "dirty" gyros.

The surface area of a V-tail has to be the same as the combined areas of the conventional tail components that it replaces. Therefore, you don't save weight with a V-tail.

On a Bensen-style gyro, possibly the biggest issue is structural. The V-tail involves a more severe cantilever structure than a conventional tail. Of course, a "tall tail" (Dominator style) is not cantilevered at all.

I think that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages of a V-tail on a gyro.

[Screw]

I'd like one day to put a V-Tail on mine if is was worth it.

John-

[PTKay]

Go to Twistairs home page to see his friends Hunter GYro with big V tail.
Can ask him for opinion...

PTKay