Description
- A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors.
- Helicopters can take off and land vertically, hover, and fly in multiple directions.
- The first helicopter to enter full-scale production was the Sikorsky R-4 in 1942.
- The common configuration includes a single main rotor with a vertical anti-torque tail rotor.
- Helicopters are used in various applications, including transportation, military, firefighting, and search and rescue.
- Modern helicopters typically utilize turbine engines, which provide a good power-to-weight ratio.
- Helicopters can also accommodate specialized uses, such as aerial cranes for lifting and transporting heavy loads.
- The development history of helicopters dates back to ancient concepts of vertical flight, evolving significantly through the 19th and 20th centuries.
