In flight mechanics, the lift generated by the tail surfaces, such as the horizontal tail of an aircraft, plays a crucial role in the overall aerodynamics and stability of the aircraft
- Lt: Lift generated by the tail surfaces (horizontal tail) of the aircraft. The tail surfaces contribute to the aircraft’s overall lift and are also important for stability and control.
- ρ (rho): Density of the fluid (e.g., air) through which the aircraft is flying. This is a measure of how much mass is present in a given volume of the fluid.
- Vt: Velocity of the aircraft relative to the fluid. This represents the speed at which the aircraft is moving through the air.
- St: Tail reference area. This is the area of the tail surfaces that interacts with the airflow.
- CLαt: Coefficient of lift slope for the tail. This coefficient describes how the lift generated by the tail changes with the angle of attack (α).
- α: Angle of attack. This is the angle between the aircraft’s relative wind (direction of airflow) and the chord line of the tail surface.
- ε: Tail setting angle. This represents the angle between the chord line of the tail surface and the horizontal reference plane (zero-lift line).
- i: Tail incidence angle. This angle accounts for the overall orientation of the tail surface.