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rotor
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Diagram showing a turboshaft engine powering a helicopter rotor. The labeled components include compressor, combustion chamber, core turbine, power turbine, output shaft, gearbox, rotor head, and rotor blades.
Know about the various helicopter rotor blade design using advanced aerodynamic technology
Know how a helicopter stays up in the air and how its rotor generates lift
View Christoph Kessler of the German Space Agency working on a helicopter's rotor blades to reduce the noise
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rotor

helicopter part
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Diagram showing a turboshaft engine powering a helicopter rotor. The labeled components include compressor, combustion chamber, core turbine, power turbine, output shaft, gearbox, rotor head, and rotor blades.
Turboshaft engine driving a helicopter rotor Figure 2: Turboshaft engine driving a helicopter rotor as propulsor.

A helicopter's main airfoil is its rotating blade assembly, known as the rotor. This assembly is mounted atop the fuselage on a mast connected to the engine and flight controls. Unlike airplane wings, helicopter rotor blades are typically symmetrical airfoils. The rotor generates lift by rotating and can also move up and down. Pilots control lift by adjusting the pitch angle of the rotor blades, which alters their angle of attack. Rotor speed also influences lift. A tail rotor is often used to counteract the torque produced by the main rotor, preventing the fuselage from spinning in the opposite direction.12

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4 Britannica Sources
  1. helicopter - Principles of flight and operation
  2. helicopter: Top Questions
  3. helicopter - Differences in helicopter and airplane design and construction
  4. rotorcraft

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