Fletch (archery)
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- For other uses of "Fletch", see Fletch (disambiguation).
In archery, a fletch refers to a vane at the rear end of the arrow, used to stabilize the arrow through air resistance in flight. The group of fletches are collectively known as the fletching of the arrow or dart.
Traditionally, bird feathers were the material of choice, but modern arrows often utilize man-made plastics instead. Some fletches act to impart a spin on the projectile, but all are there to impart a drag on the tail of the projectile to ensure that it does not tumble during flight; for this reason, a bow and arrow will not work properly in a vacuum.
