Principles of Flight – Helicopter
Lift and thrust
Understand how rotor blades generate lift through angle of attack and airflow, and how thrust is directed. Learn about induced flow, blade element theory, and how translational lift improves performance.
Rotor behaviour
Study dissymmetry of lift, retreating blade stall, and how flapping and feathering compensate. Understand ground effect and how it changes hover performance.
Stability and control
Learn how cyclic, collective, and pedals control the helicopter, and how the tail rotor counteracts torque. Understand autorotation and how rotor RPM is maintained.
Worked example
Rule of thumb: translational lift becomes effective around 10–15 kt of airspeed, reducing power required and improving climb performance.
Traps
Questions often test dissymmetry of lift and retreating blade stall, or the difference between ground effect and translational lift. Watch for questions about vortex ring state and how to recover.