'V' is For Variety

The iconic empennage evolves.

Tuesday, March 07, 2023 at 04:17 PM ET

Verified

Apart from the Bonanza, most people would be hard-pressed to name many V-tail airplanes, but a list of no fewer than 142 of them can be found online. [Credit: Jessica Ambats]

Key Takeaways:

V-tails, originating in the 1930s and famously adopted by the Beech Bonanza, were often marketed for perceived advantages like reduced drag and cost, though comprehensive analysis showed no decisive aerodynamic superiority over conventional tails.
Despite initial claims, V-tail designs present structural complexity and require sophisticated control mixers, and the Beech Bonanza's V-tail was ultimately discontinued due to structural design flaws unrelated to its V-shape.
Modern V-tail applications, such as on stealth aircraft or jets with engine placement precluding a vertical fin, are typically driven by practical necessity rather than aerodynamic efficiency, leading to more conservative designs with larger surfaces than early models.

See a mistake? Contact us.

One day back in ancient times, I went to Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) to report on a gadget that was supposed to improve the directional stability of V-tail Beechcraft Bonanzas. It consisted of a bent-up aluminum channel about 8 feet long, similar to a length of roof gutter, that screwed to the underside of the aft fuselage. Its creator explained that it trapped a stream of air and thereby kept the tail from swinging from side to side.

I did not see how this could be, but I flew the Bonanza, first without the channel, and then with it. I kicked the rudder pedals a number of times and duly noted my subjective impression of the damping—that is, the number and size of oscillations required to return to steady flight. I am embarrassed to report that I did feel that the airplane with the channel was a little stiffer directionally. Possibly placebo effect.