ORIGINAL: edobeirne
Don't flame me on reflex, and say ''it's for stability''. I'm a pilot and I understand pitch control and stability in fixed wing and full-sized helicopters. But on an RC helicopter, when forward speed is relatively slow and the rotor system so nimble anyway, does the horizontal stabilizer really have any use besides looking cool? Many of them are skeletonized anyway, negating any real aerodynamic effect. I'd say it might be for tail rotor protection if you roll on the ground or crash sideways, but then the main rotor is going to be protecting the tail rotor by itself hitting the ground first. If I can't come up with a good reason to keep it, mine's coming off my Belt CP, because I need my CG a little forward and I've moved everything possible forward already. Any insights or ideas?