What? No Rudders?

Yep. Simplicity.

Don't get me wrong - rudders are an important flight control - and one we use in the Gulfstreams sometimes without even knowing it.. Matter of fact in cruise - the rudder pedals are often pushed back so we can stretch out. The rudders in flight are mainly the domain of the Yaw Damper, and that's an automatic system once engaged.

That's why I didn't put them on the Packet.

Rudders can do all sorts of things. They're fun in slips (yawing the nose opposite of a banking input with the ailerons), or skids (yawing the nose in the direction of a banking input with the ailerons).

They're great at offsetting asymmetrical yaw, but that can be built out with passive stability, just by having sizable vertical stabilizers. In multi engine planes -they're essential during an engine failure in order to maintain any sort of track.

Rudders are great in crosswinds. No doubt about that. When airplanes gave up airfields (where a pilot could land in any direction) and began landing on runways - rudder became much more important, as it's a clever combination of rudder and aileron that brings heading and track into alignment over the runway at the moment of touchdown.

But for a plane like the Packet? I'm good without.

First off - it's simplifies the build. No additional servo extensions, no linkage connecting the twin vertical stabilizers rudders, no additional weight far out in the tail. There are a host of reasons I was happy to go without.

But on Landing? Landing roll in this plane is what, ten, maybe fifteen feet? I think I can find a way to do that into the wind.

I'm not denying that they can't be fun in a wingover, or to snap roll, or in spins, but if those are the aerobatics you're looking for - there's other planes that might be better suited.

I gave up on the rudder for this build, and I've got no regrets.