Aerodynamic Comparison of Unconventional Aircraft Tail Setup

Aircraft handling qualities depend on the empennage geometry. The size and position of tails along with the arrangement govern the stability and controllability of the aircraft. However, the empennage also affects the aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft by producing additional drag force. By increasing the tail size, one can achieve better handling qualities, however, this can negatively impact the aerodynamic efficiency by substantially increasing the drag force. This research work presents the comparison of different tail setups in terms of their contribution to stability and controllability along with their impact on aerodynamic efficiency. The analysis was performed using a Vortex Lattice Method. It was observed that V - Tails provide the best stability and controllability characteristics with the lowest total wetted area.