FEATI University

Helios St., Sta. Cruz, Manila

DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING AND
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Report no. 8

Empennage Sizing

Engr. Lemuel F. Banal

Instructor

Submitted by:
Rodge Lorenz N. Quilala
Hernan Cesar E. Deniega
Jesriel V. Perez
Lexter M. Diokno

Rodge Lorenz N. Quilala
Department of Aeronautical
Engineering and Aircraft
Maintenance Technology
FEATI University
Manila, Philippines
rodgequilala@gmail.com
Empennage Sizing
Hernan Cesar E. Deniega
Department of Aeronautical
Engineering and Aircraft
Maintenance Technology
FEATI University
Manila, Philippines
hernan.deniega@gmail.com
Jesriel V. Perez
Department of Aeronautical
Engineering and Aircraft
Maintenance Technology
FEATI University
Manila, Philippines
jesriel.perez25@gmail.com
Lexter M. Diokno
Department of Aeronautical
Engineering and Aircraft
Maintenance Technology
FEATI University
Manila, Philippines
lexterdiokno217@gmail.com

Abstract — This report shows the empennage sizing for the design
UAV and methodology on determining the disposition of the
empennage relative to the center of gravity. The airfoil that will be
integrated for the empennage section is the NACA 0012 that was
discussed from the previous report entitled airfoil selection. There will
be a provided drawing for the empennage section to visualize the
planform geometry of the empennage.

I. INTRODUCTION
Empennage is one of the main components of an aircraft that
responsible for the stability and directional control of the aircraft.
Determining the disposition of an empennage is significant in a
design process for the reason that the aircraft is required to be stable
while airborne and to avoid accident which is the tail strike while
on grounds.

A. Objectives
The main objectives of this report are to precisely determine the
disposition of the empennage relative to the center of gravity, CG to
satisfy the stability requirements of the UAV design, and to provide
the dimensions of the control surfaces to be shown in 3-view scale
drawings.

II. METHODOLOGY
A. Overall Empennage Configuration
As mentioned and justified from Report No. 7 [1], the NACA
0012 airfoil will be integrated for the empennage section of the
UAV design. The overall empennage configuration of the design is
boom-mounted, which is defined by two longitudinal booms with
the H-tail feature. This configuration allows the integration of cargo Fig.1 Definition of Volume Coefficient Quantities
doors at the rear of the fuselage to be free of obstruction from the
tail assembly. C. Determine the size of the Empennage
Determining the size of the empennage will take place in this
B. Determine the disposition of the Empennage section using the estimated values of the volume and control
In this section, the estimated position of CG will be used in order surfaces area of the empennage. According to Roskam, the values
to locate Xh and Xv. The estimated disposition of the empennage is generated are the typical values for sizing the empennage [2]. Table
shown in Fig. 1 where Xh resulted to 3.70m and Xv is also 3.70m. 1 [2] shows the estimated values of the empennage and the control
surfaces.

TABLE 1. ESTIMATED EMPENNAGE VOLUME AND CONTROL SURFACES AREA

Vh 0.63
Vv 0.047
S E ⁄S h 0.4
S R ⁄S v 0.35

1
 Equation (1) will be used to calculate the surface area of the Sh
ch = (4)
horizontal stabilizer while for the vertical stabilizer is shown in (2) bh
[2]. Table 2 shows the wing specification of the UAV.
After solving the equation, the chord of the horizontal stabilizer
TABLE 2. UAV’S WING SPECIFICATION resulted to 0.47m.
S 6.06 m2
b 6.5m Equations (5) and (6) will be used for calculating the span and
c 0.9323m chord of the vertical stabilizer.
𝑆ℎ Xh
Vh = (1) bv =√Sv xAR (5)
S𝑐
Upon computing for the span of the vertical stabilizer using the
S v Xv
Vv = (2) formula, it equates to 0.80m.
Sb
Sv
Table 3 shows the calculated surface area for horizontal and cv = (6)
vertical tail configuration of the cargo UAV. Using the values in bv
Table 1 [2], the value of SE and SR was acquired. The chord on the other hand, equates to 0.625m.

TABLE 3. EMPENNAGE SURFACES AREAS E. Dimensioned drawings of the selected empennage planforms
Sh 1.107 m 2

Sv 0.5 m2 Fig. 2 shows the empennage planform with its dimensions

SE 0.443 m2 including the control surfaces of the horizontal and vertical
SR 0.175 m2 stabilizer.

D. Planform geometry of the Empennage

The sizing of planform geometry will revolve around the typical

values for Single-Engine Propeller Driven Aircraft [2]. The chosen
values will provide adequate planform geometry for the designers
without taking additional workloads and to simply come up with
quick analysis and results. Table 4 shows the parameters of the
horizontal and vertical tail.

TABLE 4. HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL TAIL PARAMETERS

Assumed Values of Design Parameters for
Horizontal and Vertical Tail
Parameter Horizontal Vertical Tail
Tail
Aspect Ratio 5 1.28
Sweep Angle 0 0
Taper Ratio 1 1
Dihedral
0 90°
Angle
Incidence
0 0
Angle

The values shown allows the designers to produce a

configuration that will perform logical operations on an initial set
without compromising difficulties and will put unto work without
also consuming time for the designers.

Equations (3) and (4) will be used for calculating span and chord
of horizontal tail configuration of the empennage.

Fig 2. Empennage planform with dimensions

bh =√Sh xAR (3)

Upon substituting all the values, the bh resulted to 2.35m.

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 III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
To summarize all the data acquired on the process of sizing the
empennage, Table 5 shows the size of the horizontal and vertical
stabilizers of the UAV. The specification of the desired empennage
for the UAV will have 0° dihedral angle and incidence angle as it
will be an H-tail type of empennage.

TABLE 5. GENERAL SPECIFICATION OF EMPENNAGE

Horizontal
Specification Vertical Stabilizer
Stabilizer
2
S 1.107 m 0.5 m2
Control Surface
0.443 m2 0.175 m2
Area, S
b 2.35 m 0.80 m
c 0.47 m 0.625 m

IV. CONCLUSION

After several computations, discussions, and assumptions the

disposition of the empennage relative to the center of gravity was
already determined. The planform geometry for the tail section such
as vertical and horizontal tail was also determined, and the
dimensioned drawings was illustrated to envision the modification
made in the empennage section of the design UAV.

V. REFERENCES

[1] R. Quilala, et al, 2020 “Airfoil Selection” p. 3

[2] J. Roskam, “Airplane Design Part II: Preliminary Configuration and
Integration of the Propulsion System”, Lawrence, Kansas, DARcorp, 1997,
Ch. 8, pp. 187-215

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 Hernan Cesar E. Deniega Rodge Lorenz N. Quilala
1. Worked on the Introduction of the report no. 8. 1. Gave the outline of the report no.8
2. Proofread the whole technical report no. 8. 2. Gave constant updates to assigned tasks.
3. Worked on some part of the methodology. 3. Generated the objectives of the report.
4. Arranged all the contents to IEEE format.

Criteria Avg. Criteria

Initials Avg.
Intellectual Clerical Worth Grade Initials Intellectual Clerical Worth Grade
Contribution Contribution Ethic Contribution Contribution Ethic
HCED E+ E E+ 98.3 HCED E E+ E+ 98.3
RLNQ E+ E+ E 98.3 RLNQ E- E- E- 90
LMD E+ E+ E 98.3 LMD E+ E E+ 98.3
JVP E E+ E+ 98.3 JVP E+ E+ E 98.3
FINAL GRADE 98.3 FINAL GRADE 96.2

Jesriel V. Perez
Lexter M. Diokno
1. Worked on the conclusion and results and
discussion of the report no. 8 1. Worked on the introduction and conclusion of the
2. Gave constant updates with the work assigned report no. 8.
3. Active during group discussion and 2. Helped enhance the structure of the report no. 8
brainstorming. by suggesting different outlines.
3. Active during group discussions.

Criteria Avg. Criteria

Initials Intellectual Clerical Worth Initials
Avg.
Grade Intellectual Clerical Worth Grade
Contribution Contribution Ethic Contribution Contribution Ethic
HCED E+ E E+ 98.3 HCED E+ E E+ 98.3
RLNQ E E+ E+ 98.3 RLNQ E+ E+ E 98.3
LMD E+ E E+ 98.3 LMD E E+ E+ 98.3
JVP E+ E E+ 98.3 JVP E+ E E+ 98.3
FINAL GRADE 98.3 FINAL GRADE 98.3