Interesting Helicopter and Fixed-wing Facts for Mobile, AL

During World War I Hungarian engineer Theodore von Karman constructed a helicopter that when tethered was able to hover for extended periods. Several years later Spaniard Juan de la Cierva developed a machine he called an autogiro in response to the tendency of conventional airplanes to lose engine power and crash while landing.

Fun Facts About Helicopters

While light-weight, general-purpose helicopters often have a two-bladed main rotor, heavier craft may use a four-blade design or two separate main rotors to accommodate heavy loads.

The first reference to a rotor system is credited to inventor Leonardo da Vinci, who designed an aerial screw in 1480. No full-scale variant was constructed during his lifetime.

During World War I, Hungarian engineer Theodore von Karman constructed a helicopter that, when tethered, was able to hover for extended periods. Several years later, Spaniard Juan de la Cierva developed a machine he called an autogiro in response to the tendency of conventional airplanes to lose engine power and crash while landing.