– Why does aircraft always seem to pitch forwards into freefall after encountering a stall? Wouldn’t the horizontal/vertical stabilizers add more weight to the back?
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Aircraft pitch forward into freefall after encountering a stall because of the way that lift is generated. The wings of an aircraft are shaped so that when air flows over them, it creates lift. However, if the airflow is disrupted, as can happen during a stall, the wings can no longer generate lift and the aircraft will fall. The horizontal and vertical stabilizers add weight to the back of the aircraft, but they also help to keep the airflow smooth so that the wings can continue to generate lift even in turbulence.
1) The center of gravity is generally located a little in front of the center of lift. This will cause the nose to fall naturally.
2) Just because the plane is stalling doesn’t mean that it isn’t going forward. The tail section presents greater air resistance than the nose of the plane. Think of a dart.
3) The pilot will nose down to reduce the angle of attack to arrest the stall.
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