If a helicopter lacks a tail rotor, or if the tail rotor fails, the helicopter will spin uncontrollably in the opposite direction of the main rotor's rotation, inevitably leading to a crash.
Here's a breakdown:
- Newton's Third Law: The main rotor spins in one direction, it creates an equal and opposite torque on the helicopter body.
- Tail Rotor's Job: The tail rotor provides thrust to counteract this torque, keeping the helicopter stable and pointing in the desired direction.
- Loss of Tail Rotor Control: According to the reference, "If that tail rotor stops, the main rotor continues to go around, the whole helicopter will spin round and you will crash into the ground."
- Autorotation and Forward Flight: While a complete tail rotor failure is dangerous, a skilled pilot can potentially mitigate the disaster. As the reference mentions, "The only way you can stop that is forward fly, because this here is a fin on the back." This likely refers to the vertical stabilizer, which can provide some directional stability in forward flight. Additionally, autorotation (allowing the main rotor to spin freely due to upward airflow) can enable a controlled descent, although landing with a failed tail rotor is extremely challenging.
Therefore, the tail rotor is critical for controlling the helicopter and preventing a crash.
