If both cables broke, how will the tail be configured?

If both cables broke, how will the tail be configured?

• A. Tail Will Be 0 Degrees And Speed 0
• B. Tail Will Be 10.5 Degrees And Speed Between 25-145
• C. Tail Will Be 15 Degrees And Speed 50-100
• D. Tail Will Be 5 Degrees And Speed 0-50

Answer: (B)

When both tail rotor pitch control cables break, you lose the ability to change tail rotor blade pitch. The tail rotor then settles to its fixed, mechanically centered position, which for the UH-60S is a 10.5-degree blade pitch. That fixed pitch provides a known amount of anti-torque thrust, so the helicopter can stay controllable only within a certain forward speed range where the aerodynamic forces and engine torque balance with that fixed tail rotor thrust. For the UH-60S, that workable range is about 25 to 145 knots. Outside of that speed window, the fixed tail rotor thrust is either insufficient to counter torque or excessive, making straight flight or yaw control unsafe. So the described emergency configuration is tail at 10.5 degrees with airspeed between roughly 25 and 145 knots.

When both tail rotor pitch control cables break, you lose the ability to change tail rotor blade pitch. The tail rotor then settles to its fixed, mechanically centered position, which for the UH-60S is a 10.5-degree blade pitch. That fixed pitch provides a known amount of anti-torque thrust, so the helicopter can stay controllable only within a certain forward speed range where the aerodynamic forces and engine torque balance with that fixed tail rotor thrust. For the UH-60S, that workable range is about 25 to 145 knots. Outside of that speed window, the fixed tail rotor thrust is either insufficient to counter torque or excessive, making straight flight or yaw control unsafe. So the described emergency configuration is tail at 10.5 degrees with airspeed between roughly 25 and 145 knots.