The History of the Helicopter

After careful consideration, I have chosen to write about the history of the helicopter. I have always had a profound interest in flight since I was a little kid. I would love going on family vacations across the country not just to experience new things, but mostly because I knew we would get to fly in a plane. My younger siblings and I would always fight over who gets to sit by the window. I would ultimately prevail! Now as college student, my childhood fascination with flying has influenced my decision to become a helicopter pilot.



As much as I love helicopters and flying, I barely know anything about the helicopter. In fact, there are only a few things I know about the helicopter now that I really think about it. I know a helicopter flies by rotating a two, three or four blade horizontal propeller to create downward thrust to lift the massive machine into the air. I know it has another vertical propeller on the tail of the helicopter that controls the turning of the air craft by speeding up or slowing down. I know that a helicopter can seat one or carry many passengers. Other than that, the rest is unknown.


There are many thing I wish to learn about the helicopter during the research process. For one, I would like to know who invented the helicopter and how it came about. Was there a purpose or reason for the invention? Second, I would like to know how to operate the helicopter. What is the principle function of all of the controls in the cockpit? Third, I want to know about the technological advancements over the years since the helicopter was invented. Last, I would like to know what the future holds for the helicopter.