Rotarywing

Rotary-wing, or rotorcraft, refers to aircraft that generate lift through rotating blades or rotors. The major categories include helicopters, autogyros (gyroplanes), and tiltrotors. Rotorcraft are capable of vertical takeoff and landing, hovering, and slow, precise maneuvering that fixed-wing aircraft struggle to achieve.

Principles: A powered rotor provides lift and, depending on configuration, thrust. Control is achieved mainly with cyclic pitch to tilt the rotor plane, and collective pitch to change overall lift. Anti-torque devices—such as a tail rotor, Fenestron, or NOTAR—counteract main-rotor torque. The drivetrain and engines transfer power to the rotor, and some designs use additional rotors or wings for speed.

Common rotorcraft types include helicopters with single or multiple main rotors (including tandem, coaxial, and intermeshing configurations), autogyros that rely on autorotation, and tiltrotors that can switch between vertical lift and forward propulsion.

History: Early rotorcraft experiments culminated in the autogyro of Juan de la Cierva in the 1920s. Practical helicopters emerged in the 1930s and 1940s with pioneers like Igor Sikorsky. Since then, turbine engines, advanced blades, composites, and fly-by-wire controls have expanded performance and safety in both civilian and military roles.

Uses: Rotary-wing aircraft support a broad range of operations, including transport, search and rescue, medical evacuation, firefighting, law enforcement, logging, and aerial work. They face constraints from weather, maintenance demands, and regulatory certification and pilot training requirements.