- "This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally."
An aircraft with spinning blades that allow it to take off and land vertically, typically used for transportation and air ambulance services.
Aerodynamics: Basic understanding of the principles of flight and how they apply to helicopter flight.
Flight Controls: Knowledge of how to manipulate the helicopter through its various flight controls, such as the cyclic, collective, and pedals.
Powerplant: Understanding of the engine and rotor systems that enable helicopter flight, including a knowledge of aerodynamic theory and mechanical principles.
Instruments and Systems: Familiarity with the various gauges and instruments used to measure and monitor the health and performance of the helicopter, such as airspeed indicators, altimeters, and engine temperature monitors.
Navigation: Knowledge of how to navigate a helicopter through various terrains and conditions, including urban and rural environments, mountains, and complex airspace.
Weather: Understanding of how weather conditions affect helicopter flight and how to avoid potential hazards, such as turbulence, high winds, and icing.
Emergency Procedures: Knowledge of how to respond to emergency situations, including engine failures, power losses, fire or smoke in the cockpit, and in-flight mechanical malfunctions.
Maintenance: Understanding of how to maintain and repair a helicopter, including routine maintenance procedures such as oil changes, inspections, and repairs to mechanical and electrical systems.
Regulations and Safety: Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations governing helicopter operations, as well as safety practices and protocols for safe helicopter flight.
Aviation Communications: Ability to communicate effectively with air traffic control, ground personnel, and other pilots to ensure safe and efficient helicopter operations in a busy airspace environment.
Light Helicopter: A small helicopter designed for personal use or light commercial operations.
Medium-Light Helicopter: Larger than a light helicopter, with an increased payload capacity and range.
Medium Helicopter: A helicopter capable of carrying a larger payload and flying for longer distances than a medium-light helicopter.
Medium-Heavy Helicopter: Larger than a medium helicopter, with even greater payload capacities and range.
Heavy Helicopter: A large, heavy-lift helicopter used for transport of large payloads, such as construction materials or military equipment.
Search and Rescue Helicopter: Equipped with specialized tools and equipment for locating and rescuing people in emergency situations.
Air Ambulance Helicopter: A medical transport helicopter equipped with life-saving equipment and staffed by medical professionals.
Police Helicopter: Used for law enforcement operations such as surveillance, pursuit, and search and rescue.
Firefighting Helicopter: Equipped with water tanks or buckets for fighting wildfires and other large-scale fires.
Military Helicopter: Used for a variety of military operations, including transport, reconnaissance, and attack.
Commercial Passenger Helicopter: Capable of transporting passengers for commercial or tourist purposes.
Executive Helicopter: Used for private and corporate travel, often equipped with luxury amenities.
Agricultural Spraying Helicopter: Equipped with tanks for spraying crops with pesticides or fertilizers.
Ocean Rescue Helicopter: Used for search and rescue operations over water, equipped with specialized gear for surviving in harsh conditions.
Training Helicopter: Used for pilot training and instruction.
- "These attributes allow helicopters to be used in congested or isolated areas where fixed-wing aircraft and many forms of short take-off and landing (STOL) or short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft cannot perform without a runway."
- "In 1942, the Sikorsky R-4 became the first helicopter to reach full-scale production."
- "The configuration of a single main rotor accompanied by a vertical anti-torque tail rotor (i.e. unicopter, not to be confused with the single-blade monocopter) has become the most common helicopter configuration."
- "Twin-main rotor helicopters (bicopters), in either tandem or transverse rotor configurations, are sometimes in use due to their greater payload capacity than the monorotor design."
- "Coaxial-rotor, tiltrotor, and compound helicopters are also all flying today."
- "Quadrotor helicopters (quadcopters) were pioneered as early as 1907 in France."
- "along with other types of multicopters, have been developed mainly for specialized applications such as drones."
- "lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors."
- "helicopters can take off and land vertically."
- "vertical anti-torque tail rotor" - The purpose is to counteract the torque produced by the main rotor.
- "This allows the helicopter to...hover"
- "fly forward, backward and laterally."
- "helicopters can be used in congested or isolated areas where fixed-wing aircraft cannot perform."
- "greater payload capacity than the monorotor design."
- "coaxial-rotor" - To provide lift and control for the helicopter.
- "mainly for specialized applications such as drones."
- "the Sikorsky R-4 became the first helicopter to reach full-scale production."