Why the T-Tail?

On 28 Oct 2004 02:44:06 GMT, Jim Vincent wrote:

Jim,
Why does the elevator have more translation on a T-Tail than on a
conventional one please ? (I presume you are referring to translation
in a direction normal to the tailplane surface)
Bemused John G.

John,

If the stab is mounted at the fuselage, if there is roll, the stab only
experiences a rotation around the center of the stab.

If the stab is T, then not only is it rotating, it is also moving in a circle
with a diameter of the rudder fin. Does that make sense?

Also, with a T, if you go full rudder in one direction then another, the fin
adds the inertia of the stab mounted at the top of the rudder...a torsion from
yaw too!



Jim Vincent
N483SZ
illspam

OK Jim,
I agree. I was thinking of normal elevator operation, and movement in
the pitch direction, which is the same for both arrangements.
Cheers, John G.