4 Helicopters

Chapter 4 Helicopters Flyers in France had combined a plane with a balloon. The result had an engine like a plane, but rotor blades rather than wings. So, it rose in the air like a balloon. They had invented...

...the helicopter! In 1907, Paul Cornu made the world's first helicopter flight. But, as he was only in the air for 20 seconds and didn't even rise as high as a man, most people missed it. Over 30 years went by before a helicopter flew properly. In 1939, Igor Sikorsky built his VS-300 in America... ...and in 1940, he managed to fly it.

Igor's next helicopter, the R4, had space for two passengers. This so impressed the American Navy, they started to build R4s to use in the Second World War. Helicopter designers went on to experiment with two rotor blades. These helped make the helicopter more stable. It could also lift more -like the Chinook, which can carry up to 44 passengers.

Today, helicopters aren't only used by armies and navies. They might be used to help the police keep an eye on traffic, or to rush a sick person to the nearest hospital. Can't you go any faster? They are even used to chase escaping criminals- and not only in movies.

One helicopter has been made to lift vast loads too heavy for trains or trucks. The "Skycrane"- which is half-copter, half-crane- can lift loads weighing as much as a house. Hey! When I said I wanted to move house...