Can airplanes fly without rudders ?

Question

I mean they have all the control surfaces...aileron,elevator,throttle e.t.c. except a rudder?

Answer 1

Yaw control on a flying wing is accomplished with a differential drag control.  The classic Northrop flying wings of the 1940s had a double air brake at the outboard end of each wing; that is, a speed-brake like control with two vanes, one opening up, and one opening down.  When closed they were streamlined with the wing.

These were operated by the rudder pedals.  Press the left rudder on a B-35 or B-49, and the vanes split open on the left side only, giving that wing more drag and imposing a left yaw force on the airplane.  Same for the right side.

Those gave control forces for coordinated turns about as effective as a normal rudder.  The B-2 has a similar device, but of course it is computer controlled.

Answer 2

can you walk without legs?, they need a rudder to turn the plane, if you want to fly straight all the time I guess it could fly.

Answer 3

How about the old Beechcraft Bonanzas- they used a multi-tasking control surface, called either ruddervators or elevons.

Answer 4

yes it can but rudder has many purpose both in ground and in flight.

In ground during take off and landing roll the rudder is used to remain in the center of the runway.

in flight for irectional control as the guy says and yaw and dutch roll control meaning if you have two engines and one is dead the other engine would pull the aircraft towards his side. The rudder would prevent this from happening.

Answer 5

The rudder is not what turns the aircraft.  It turns by changing the lift vector (of the wings) with a bank, using aileron.  When that happens the inside wing is moving slower (angular velocity) and the outside wing is moving faster.  Since lift is a function of airspeed (more airspeed more lift), and drag is a function of lift (more left more drag); the outside wing has more drag and yaws the airplane away from the direction of turn -- this is called adverse yaw.

The rudder's sole purpose in life is to control and correct for adverse yaw.

The vertical stabilizer does just that, provides stabilization but not control.

Flying wings obviously work, i.e. the B-2 and the Northrop Wing at the end of WWII.  However, I can't explain their flight control systems having never flown one.  

But, in answer to your 'can they fly without a rudder'; yes, however any turn will feel sloppy and will be uncoordinated.

Answer 6

Yes, it can still change direction using ailerons (banking) and elevators.

Rudder is solely used for directional control.

Answer 7

Just take the B-2 stealth bomber for example

Answer 8

yes but not as well they can still turn i would think