Offtopic: Helicopters don?t need tail rotors !

[buzz-ard]

@ util - You are exactly correct - it's a rudder. A rotating tail rotor provides power-rudder control at all speeds and prevents spin. The stationary rudder doesn't exert force of its own, thus continuous forward motion of the craft is required in order to maintain control. In a hover it would spin out.

@All - I never believed it until I learned to fly, but helicopters are generally preferable to airplanes if you lose an engine. The rotor blades act as airfoils and can allow enough control through pitch adjustments to waft the craft down. Conversely, the airplane becomes a very heavy glider that loses altitude quickly while picking up speed. Overall, the landing in a disabled heli is often softer than in a plane.

[Bulbz]

Being a model aircraft enthusiast myself, I have seen plenty of helicopters without tail rotors. They usually have two main rotors, one rotates clockwise, the other rotates counter-clockwise, by means of two motors and a coaxial shaft.