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Tail Rotor

 
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The tail rotor of a helicopter
Helicopter

A helicopter is an aircraft that is Lift and propelled by one or more horizontal plane Helicopter rotors, each rotor consisting of two or more rotor blades....
 is mounted on the tail of a traditional single-rotor helicopter, close to perpendicular to the main rotor
Helicopter rotor

A helicopter rotor is the rotating part of a helicopter which controls the blades that produce the aerodynamic Lift for the helicopter. The helicopter rotor, also called the rotor system, usually refers to the helicopter's main rotor which is mounted on a vertical mast over the top of the helicopter, although it can refer to the...
. It is primarily used in order to counteract the yaw
Yaw angle

The yaw angle is the angle between a vehicle's heading and a reference heading . One of the Tait-Bryan angles. In aeronautics, robotics and marine control, it is typically assigned the shorthand notation ....
 motion and the torque
Torque

Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis . Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
 that a rapidly turning disk naturally produces.






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Puma Tail Rotor
The tail rotor of a helicopter
Helicopter

A helicopter is an aircraft that is Lift and propelled by one or more horizontal plane Helicopter rotors, each rotor consisting of two or more rotor blades....
 is mounted on the tail of a traditional single-rotor helicopter, close to perpendicular to the main rotor
Helicopter rotor

A helicopter rotor is the rotating part of a helicopter which controls the blades that produce the aerodynamic Lift for the helicopter. The helicopter rotor, also called the rotor system, usually refers to the helicopter's main rotor which is mounted on a vertical mast over the top of the helicopter, although it can refer to the...
. It is primarily used in order to counteract the yaw
Yaw angle

The yaw angle is the angle between a vehicle's heading and a reference heading . One of the Tait-Bryan angles. In aeronautics, robotics and marine control, it is typically assigned the shorthand notation ....
 motion and the torque
Torque

Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis . Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
 that a rapidly turning disk naturally produces. The tail rotor in simple terms is a propeller that pushes the body of the helicopter in the opposite direction of the main rotor, preventing loss of control.

Significance


The tail rotor, stabilizing the helicopter as it does, is a crucial element of the helicopter and loss or serious damage often means immediate loss of flight control. However, by shutting down the main motor the tail rotor is no longer necessary to counteract the torque generated by the main motor and the pilot can attempt an Autorotation
Autorotation (helicopter)

Autorotation is the state of flight where the Helicopter rotor of a helicopter is being turned by the action of air moving up through the rotor rather than engine power driving the rotor....
 to get back to the ground safely.

Design variations


There are two major variations to traditional tail rotor design concerning the placement of the tail rotor and the surrounding structure. Some companies such as Eurocopter enclose the rotor within a fantail assembly. Such design - called fenestron
Fenestron

A Fenestron is a fully enclosed tail rotor of a helicopter that is essentially a ducted fan. The housing is integral with the tail skin, and, like the conventional tail rotor it replaces, is intended to counteract the torque of the main rotor....
 - protects the tail rotor from foreign object damage
Foreign object damage

Foreign Object Damage or Foreign Object Debris is a substance, debris or article alien to the vehicle or system which would potentially cause damage....
 better than the traditional outer mounted design but complicates the design of the tailcone to account for the enclosed mechanisms.

New developments

Most, if not all, dual-rotary helicopters do not use tail rotors, instead, the design of the two main rotors is such that they spin in the opposite directions of each other, thus each cancels out the torque and yaw produced by the other. This has been researched in the past and has been incorporated into some European designs.

Sikorsky Aircraft
Sikorsky Aircraft

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an United States aircraft manufacturer....
, a UTC subsidiary is currently researching the merger of these two concepts with a dual rotor helicopter with a rear rotor to provide additional forward thrust and a respective increase in speed and operating range. First flight of a prototype aircraft, the Sikorsky X2 Demonstrator
Sikorsky X2

The Sikorsky X2 Demonstrator is an experimental compound co-axial helicopter under development by Sikorsky Aircraft....
, took place on 27 August 2008 from Schweizer Aircraft
Schweizer Aircraft

The Schweizer Aircraft Corporation, located in Horseheads , New York, was incorporation in 1939 by three Schweizer brothers, who built their first glider in 1930....
's facility at Horseheads, New York
Horseheads, New York

Horseheads may refer to two locations in Chemung County, New York:* Horseheads , New York* Horseheads , New York...
. The flight lasted 30 minutes and began the flight test program.

See also

  • Fenestron
    Fenestron

    A Fenestron is a fully enclosed tail rotor of a helicopter that is essentially a ducted fan. The housing is integral with the tail skin, and, like the conventional tail rotor it replaces, is intended to counteract the torque of the main rotor....
  • NOTAR
    NOTAR

    NOTAR, an acronym for NO TAil Rotor, is a helicopter anti-torque system developed by MD Helicopters which eliminates the use of the tail rotor on a helicopter, yielding quieter and safer operation....
  • Piasecki X-49