what is the english word for..

Bumper, or tail-bumper perhaps?

Regards

PJM

I seem to recall them being referred to as tail skids.

Rob

I have heard of it called the tail skid. This is an old term for conventional landing gear aircraft for the device that pre-dated the tailwheel. In days before paved runways, most planes had a skid there rather than a wheel.

Aircraft terminology evolves with time, and it may well be called something more modern by many.

As an aside, there is much in aircraft terminology that is French, not English, even in English speaking countries. Empanage, nacelle, ailerons, etc. are all French terms that aviation has incorporated into standard terminology. Also, interestingly, in English there are a number of terms in aviation that are carryovers from nautical terminology.

Such as good old "two sixteen" (216) squadron at RAF Brize Norton.

It could be still called a tail skid even though there is sometimes a small wheel faired in.

Small things please boys too! I remember a couple of crew members of a VC10 proudly stating that they had a rat that hanged down to power the aircraft's electrics in case of power failure. It was ELRAT but it kept them happy for ages!

Richard.

Tail bumper.

Sounds like you mean a tail bumper.

On a tricycle geared aircraft, such as a B-25, the bump under the tail to protect the fuselage is usually called a bumper or tail bumper.

Tail skids predated tail wheels; those are for tail-dragger aircraft. You can see examples of a tail skids on almost any WWI aircraft, then on and many other aircraft through the 1930's.

Yup. That's what we called it on the T-45A.

So on tricycle craft it's called a tail bumper but for two wheelers its called a tail skid? Ive only heard of it as a tail skid myself though

doesn't Jennifer Lopez have one of those? :-)

Craig

i believe thats called a roomy trunk

south park nailed her.

Yup.

A skid is intended to drag the ground...a bumper is intended to prevent something from dragging the ground.

Apparently so did Marc Anthony. :)

among others.

Incidently, there is another reason for the tail bumper. With normal CG location on a trike gear plane, the plane always sits with its nosewheel on ground. Sometimes, during loading or unloading, or certain maintenance, it is possible to move CG so far to rear that tail comes down and bumps on ground. That tail bumper prevents damage to rear fuselage skin.

I have read that without a fuel load the Grumman F7F Tigercat would sit on its tail. Pete

In the case of the T-45A (and a few others - just noticed there is what appears to be a tail bumper on my Hunter kit...sitting right in front of me) it's also posible to over-rotate the aircraft on takeoff if the pilot gets a bit..."frisky" on the stick.

Thanks for all the kind answers. It took me another few minutes to find out what CG stands for. :-)

I can't imagine how this could be called here...

Stands are sometimes seen at airshows when they allow the public to walk through. But I've seen DC-10s sitting back on their tails when they were loaded wrongly.

Bill Banaszak, MFE