What are the primary components of the tail rotor system?

The primary components of the tail rotor system consist of the tail rotor head and the tail rotor blades. The tail rotor head serves as the attachment point for the tail rotor blades and is responsible for controlling their pitch, which in turn influences the thrust produced by the tail rotor. The tail rotor blades create the necessary counteracting torque to maintain stability and control of the helicopter, particularly in yaw movements.

The tail rotor system is critical for balancing the rotational forces generated by the main rotor, and the design of both the head and the blades must ensure that the system can efficiently counteract the helicopter's rotor torque. The effectiveness of this system is vital for safe flight operations, particularly during hovering and forward flight.

Other options include components that do not pertain specifically to the tail rotor system. For instance, main rotor blades are part of the helicopter's primary lift system, not the tail rotor. Similarly, the tail rotor assembly and main rotor assembly would refer to broader groups of components rather than the specific primary components of the tail rotor system itself, while tail rotor gearboxes and propeller shafts, although important in the overall mechanics of the helicopter, do not represent the fundamental elements of the tail rotor and its direct function.