The moment coefficient (Cm) for an aircraft’s horizontal stabilizer, also known as the tailplane, represents its aerodynamic effectiveness in generating or changing the pitching moment of the aircraft. This is important for controlling the aircraft’s pitch and maintaining longitudinal stability.
The formula for calculating the moment coefficient (Cm) of the horizontal stabilizer is as follows:
- Cm is the moment coefficient, a dimensionless quantity.
- ΔM is the change in pitching moment due to the horizontal stabilizer, typically measured in Newton-meters (N·m).
- ρ is the air density, measured in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).
- V is the velocity of the aircraft, measured in meters per second (m/s).
- Sh is the reference area of the horizontal stabilizer, measured in square meters (m²).
- c is the average chord length of the horizontal stabilizer, measured in meters (m)