T-tailed Arrow and Stall

[photofly]

Does the Arrow IV with the T-tail suffer from deep stall recovery difficulties? I guess it doesn't, since it was certificated without a stick pusher, but I'm curious why not, and what its stall characteristics are like.

[PilotDAR]

My experience stalling T Arrows and Tomahawks is a completely normal stall. I'm confident that Piper went to great effort to assure handling compliance for both types at certification. The reputation earned by the Boeing 727 (deserved or not, I don't know) probably kept Piper honest.

My T tailed Teal also stalls completely normally, no matter how you approach it.

[Changes in Latitudes]

I have never noticed any nasty handling characteristics in the Piper T-tails. Some like to come down on the nose wheel a bit harder on landing if you're not careful with it or have a forward centre of gravity.

[Steve Pomroy]

... but I'm curious why not ...

With regard to the "why?' of pitch-up/deep-stall, the following graphics are taken from Dan Raymer's Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach. The original source is NACA technical notes (TN 1093 and TM x-26, as noted in the graphics).

In the first graphic, the Arrow IV falls well into the increased stability / reduced pitch-up risk region of the graph. I'm not sure where it falls in the second graphic, but just eyeballing photos, it looks like the tail is in the blanketed region (although if someone has actual numbers, I stand to be corrected - it may also be above the blanketed region). However, keep in mind that these curves are just guidelines for conceptual design, and may be altered by a whole host of other design features.

From the existence of the type certificate without a stick-pusher, and from the various first-hand accounts of docile stall characteristics, the tail is clearly in a satisfactory position, or there are other design features to compensate.

Cheers,
Steve
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