PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - V Tails -as in Beech Bonanzas
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Old 20th Oct 2012, 14:55
  #11 (permalink)  
sevenstrokeroll
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: fort sheridan, il
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dear pax

you are right, you should have gotten a decent , nice answer instead of just a reference to wikipedia. although wiki is a nice place to read many things.

I've flown a V tail doctor killer as they are known here in the USA. why? Only rich folk (doctors used to be rich) could afford the bonanza at one time...but they thought they were as good at being a pilot as they were at being a doctor...they weren't .

There is an episode of the TV show with Lucille Ball and Red Skelton flying a V tail Bonanza in Alaska...well worth watching as the Bonanza did acrobatics.

Once you are in the plane, flying it normally, you would forget in an instant that the plane had a "V" tail (perhaps a tribute to winston churchill?).

I think the idea was that there was a tiny bit less drag than the conventional tail and I think the V tail plane would do 1mph (it was miles then) faster than the same conventional tail version (they made them both).

There were some structural problems and the v had to be beefed up a bit. But the problem seemed to be people (those doctors) going too fast in rough air or losing control after an inadvertent encounter with IMC and not being very good at flying on instruments.

I think it is easier to build a conventional tail and that the center of gravity range is slightly larger with the conventional tail.

IF anyone ever has problems either flaring any plane for landing or some stability problem in flight...one must do a very proper weight and balance calculation. You would be surprised at how close one might be too either end of the envelope even with just two people on board some planes.

Ihope this helps a bit. But just remember that many of the best planes ever built did not catch on. We built the XB70 bomber almost 50 years ago. 2000mph, 70,000 feet, intercontinental range. Nothing like it (see it at the museum in dayton ohio if you get there) and it didn't catch on.

The v tail was a badge of honor for beech and made it distinctive from piper and cessna planes of the time. Though I have a preference for pipers in light planes anyway.

have fun, rent one some time if you can.
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