Originally Posted by
WHBM
Anyone else surprised by the complete severing of the A321 fin, while the A330 hasn't (apparently) even lost its winglet. It does make you think about how rudder forces are transmitted to the airframe in flight (and then think about AA587).
The required rudder forces are minuscule compared to the lift forces of the wing. Think of the force needed to shift the attitude of a boat floating in water versus the force needed to lift it out of the water. This directly translates into the different structural strength of the two components.