# Why are Brids lacking a Vertical Stablizer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992 "2002-11-02T12:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/1 "2002-11-02T12:44:18Z")
With the exceptions of the flying wing and hang gliders every aircraft I know of has a vertical stabilizer and rudder but birds are lacking this feature. Why? birds fly just fine how can they get by without a VS and rudder and why does an aircraft need them. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/2 "2002-11-02T12:56:58Z")
Birds are living creatures with an acute sense of balance, able to make small rapid and constant changes in their bodies to maintain their balance and stability. Rather like how bipeds such as yourself make small, rapid, and constant changes in your body to remain standing upright on a mere two supports. Most aircraft have a vertical stabilizer for the same reason stool usually have more than two legs. Mechanical objects do not have an innate sense of balance and require mechanical stabilization. ---
**Author:** ![Nishroch\_Order](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Nishroch\_Order](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nishroch_Order)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/3 "2002-11-02T13:16:04Z")
Thats abt everything theres is to be said ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/4 "2002-11-02T13:27:50Z")
Of course, technology being what it is, it seldom sits still. Several recent fighter jet designs are based on a principle called digital fly-by-wire, which uses a computer to make small rapid and constant changes in plane’s control surfaces to maintain its balance and stability. If they wanted to, modern aviation designers could probably dispense with the tail rudder. I’ve no direct experience in the field, but I’m guessing that if they did so, it’d place extra wear and tear on the other control surfaces, which could be one reason that it’s still a common design feature, even among planes that incorporate digital fly-by-wire. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/5 "2002-11-02T14:22:06Z")
The B2 bomber doesn’t have a vertical stabilizer, or any vertical surface for that matter. It’s inherently stable but a computer can keep it upright. Of course, if the computer fails then you’re dead, but apparently that’s acceptable in a military aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/6 "2002-11-02T14:24:34Z")
Um, I meant “inherently unstable.” Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/7 "2002-11-02T15:34:08Z")
Of course, birds have moving tail surfaces. I think you’ll find that they often shape them in such a way that they perform like the V-tail of the old Beechcraft V-35 Bonanza, although inverted compared to the aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/8 "2002-11-02T19:29:35Z")
at rest, a bird’s tail feathers are arrayed horizontally. in flight, they are sometimes twisted - a sort of full-flying stabilazors, rudder, and elevator in a single unit. really kind of neat to watch ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/9 "2002-11-02T19:36:57Z")
I know about the B2 bomber, it’s just the OP was wondering about planes other than flying wings. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-brids-lacking-a-vertical-stablizer/134992/10 "2002-11-02T20:40:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broomstick \* > **Mechanical objects do not have an innate sense of balance** [ahem…](http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwexa/news/images/news/segway.jpg) 🙂