Waiex rudder function?

[sjakulski]

How does the rudder function on the Waiex model...elevator vs yaw?

[Bryan Cotton]

For elevator the ruddervators work together, like the both go up for up elevator and down for down. They work opposite for rudder. Left rudder makes the left ruddervator go down, and the right go up. Through the mixer the rudder and elevator inputs sum together. There are a few YouTube videos on the topic.

[sjakulski]

Thanks, Bryan. I think the V-tail looks cool. (In my deciding process) :)

[Bryan Cotton]

Thanks, Bryan. I think the V-tail looks cool. (In my deciding process) :)

Exactly - they key question to ask yourself is "Am I cool enough for a Waiex?" I really like the way it looks and if I built another one, it would be another Waiex.

No offense to my heathen straight tail brethren.

In all seriousness look at the trades. It is more money. It is supposed to weigh a little more, which is a bad thing. It is supposed to fly exactly the same, which is a good thing. The cool factor is through the roof though.

[pappas]

If you are going to be cool enough to fly a Waiex....you have to stop calling it a "V" tail! It is a "Y" tail because we have an actual rudder, as small as it is, at the bottom of the assembly. The shape, as viewed from the rear, is a Y. Unlike a Bonanza which is a V. The Bonanza has no separate rudder. That is the reason it is called a Waiex, (YX), version of the Sonex! At least that is my reason!

[Rynoth]

If you are going to be cool enough to fly a Waiex....you have to stop calling it a "V" tail! It is a "Y" tail because we have an actual rudder, as small as it is, at the bottom of the assembly. The shape, as viewed from the rear, is a Y. Unlike a Bonanza which is a V. The Bonanza has no separate rudder. That is the reason it is called a Waiex, (YX), version of the Sonex! At least that is my reason!

Explaining this to guests/onlookers is one of my favorite pastimes.

Bryan said it right. Via the (simple) mixer and clever engineering, it functions aerodynamically just like a conventional rudder.

One might think that roll is induced with the Waiex tail configuration but I have found that to simply not be true. The tail is supporting/flying the main wing, and the ailerons are far more powerful in roll than the mixed ruddervators could ever be. The Waiex tail provides pitch and yaw just as it should.