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...

法国的飞行员把飞机和气球结合在一起。 其结果是有了一个像飞机一样的发动机，但转子叶片而不是机翼。 所以，它像气球一样升到了空中。 他们发明了……

...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.

…直升飞机!1907年，保罗·科努完成了世界上第一次直升机飞行。 但是，由于他只在空中停留了20秒，甚至没有上升到一个人的高度，大多数人都错过了它。 30多年过去了，才有一架直升机能正常飞行。 1939年，伊戈尔·西科斯基在美国制造了他的VS-300。 …1940年，他成功驾驶了它。

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.

伊戈尔的下一架直升机，R4，有两名乘客的空间。 这给美国海军留下了深刻的印象，他们开始建造r4用于第二次世界大战。 直升机设计师们继续试验两个旋翼桨叶。 这些有助于使直升机更加稳定。 它还可以像奇努克那样运载更多的乘客，最多可搭载44名乘客。

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.

今天，直升机不仅被陆军和海军使用。 它们可以用来帮助警察监视交通，或者把病人送到最近的医院。 你不能开快点吗？它们甚至被用来追捕逃跑的罪犯——而且不仅仅是在电影中。

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...

一架直升机被设计用来运送火车或卡车无法承载的巨大货物。 这种“空中起重机”——半是直升机半是起重机——能吊起一幢房子那么重的东西。 嘿!当我说我想搬家的时候…