12 / 20

Refer to figure.
What type of tail assembly is depicted in the attachment?

  • A

    V-tail

  • B

    T-tail

  • C

    Fuselage-mounted tail

  • D

    Cruciform tail

A T-tail is an empennage where the tailplane (horizontal stabilizer) is mounted to the top of the fin. Observed from behind, this looks like the capital letter T. Sometimes the term is used to refer to an aircraft with such empennage.

The T-tail's primary advantage lies in its efficient control of the aircraft. During normal flight conditions, the elevator is strategically positioned above most of the effects of downwash from the propeller (in the case of a propeller-driven aircraft) and the airflow around the fuselage and wings. This setup allows consistent control movements throughout various flight regimes, enhancing the aircraft's maneuverability.

In addition, the t-tail is a popular design in aircraft with aft fuselage-mounted engines because it removes the tail from the exhaust blast.

The main hazard with this design is the possibility of entering a "Deep Stall." While this can occur on other aircraft as well, the risk is greater with T-tails as a high AOA would likely place the wing-separated airflow into the path of the horizontal surface of the tail. This may result in loss of elevator authority and consequently, inability to recover from the stall (i.e., Loss of Control).

Your Notes (not visible to others)



This question has appeared on the real examination, you can find the related countries below.

  • Austro Control