Our Schools > Elementary School > Educators > Trina Scanlan - Title I > What is IRLA?
The vertical stabilizer is to provide additional anti torque force to the fuselage once the aircraft has forward motion and airflow across the lifting surface. The design makes use of forward motion and the resulting airflow to create an anti torq...
The amount of downforce created by the (small) horizontal stabilizer is much smaller than the amount of lift generated by the (large) wings, but the horizontal stabilizer is much further aft of the center of gravity than the wings. This gives it a greater arm, and thus a greater torque (or moment).