Flutter Characteristics of the Slab Tail

The slab tail, or stabilator is a comparatively popular design feature of modern business airplanes. Unlike conventional controls, however, there are no rules nor criteria for flutter prevention for slab configurations.

The several types of flutter than can occur in a slab tail installation have been studied in the hope that a meaningful flutter criterion can be developed. Unfortunately, too many independent parameters affect the flutter characteristics for this objective to be realized. The influence of these parameters is shown, and some rules are derived which should be useful to the slab tail designer.