Fear of Landing

APRIL 19, 2024

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.

Torque 87

Torque Indicated Airspeed Tail Knot 87

Fear of Landing

JUNE 28, 2024

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.

Rudder 106

Rudder Tail Lift Knot 106

Northstar VFR

JULY 21, 2024

The rudder is a movable flight control which is mounted on the trailing edge of the vertical stabilizer on the back of the airplane. Some new student pilots think the rudder and vertical stabilizer are the same thing. The vertical stabilizer is a vertical fixed part of the plane’s empennage. Why is the rudder so important?

Rudder 52

Rudder Airplanes Pilot Stability 52

Flight Training Central

JANUARY 27, 2025

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.

Airplanes 52

Airplanes Runway Accelerated Stall Lift 52

Photographic Logbook

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

The chirping we heard was due to excess torque-related motion of the powerplant in the engine compartment. Ray later found that the nuts securing the remaining three mounts were insufficiently torqued by whomever mounted that engine before the Williamson Flying Club bought the airplane in 2021. It was undamaged, it just came apart.

Torque 52

Torque Airplanes Clearance Horizontal Stabilizer 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

True, a slightly higher aspect ratio wing was desired, which in turn required a larger vertical tail and thus a little extra mass, but the size, approximately 20% larger than a Widgeon, was set. Another advantage of the counter-rotating props is the elimination of torque roll.

Airplanes 59

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 59