Vertical stabilizers

On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:21:21 -0700, romeomike wrote:

Just askin', but is that always true? In a turn, even if coordinated, is
there not a force against the vertical stab causing it to act as a keel
to help maintain lateral stability?

(Disclaimer: I don't claim to be an aeronautical engineer, but I like the
subject.)

To me, coordinated is coordinated. Sure, there are micro disruptions that
try to produce a yaw that the vertical stabilizer is called upon to resist,
after all, that's why it's there.

But, in a coordinated turn, the goal is to balance the pressure on both
sides of the stabilizer.

Have you ever seen those short strands of yarn some glider pilots tape to
the front of their canopies? The goal is to keep the strand straight down
the centerline during a turn which can only be accomplished if there is
equal airflow on either side of the hull.


--
Dallas