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Helicopter Questions

Helicopters and other methods of vertical flight are among the most complex and sophisticated technologies that humans have ever devised. The questions in this section dicsuss the various principles and technologies on which these vehicles depend for flight.

I like your article about the world's biggest plane but wonder about helicopters too. How are they ranked? By weight, length, or rotor size? Is the CH-53 the biggest in the world or something else?

Why are helicopter pilots located on the right side of the aircraft, when all other conventional aircraft have the pilot situated on the left?

Can you please explain how a helicopter moves forward? The blades of the helicopter rotate around the vertical axis, so it generates a vertical lift force. Then how do you get forward motion?

Is it true that the main rotors of American helicopters rotate counter-clockwise while European helicopters rotate clockwise? If so, why? I have been told this stems from a German twin rotor helicopter being halved and distributed between the Allies at the end of World War II.

How do helicopters without tail rotors ... counter the torque effect? How are they able to spin on the spot?

Referring to the question on how a helicopter without a tail rotor can yaw and conteract the torque effect, I have seen helicopters ... that only had ONE main rotor and NO tail rotor. These helicopters contradict your answer, so how do they work?

Helicopters like the Eurocopter Dauphin and RAH-66 Comanche use a system called Fenestron to counteract the torque effect. This system is different from a conventional tail rotor or NOTAR, but how does Fenestron work?

I've seen helicopters with just one rotor powered by jets and no tail rotor or NOTAR. How does it work?

What does the helicopter term "engine overtorque" mean?

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