Practical helicopter
Helicóptero práctico
- Date
- 1936–1939 · confidence medium
- Place
- Stratford, Connecticut, United States
- Credited to
- Igor Sikorsky (VS-300, 1939); Heinrich Focke (Fw 61, Bremen, 1936); Juan de la Cierva (autogyro, Madrid, 1923); Paul Cornu (1907)
- People
- 👤 Henrich Focke1890–1979👤 Ígor Sikorski1889–1972👤 Juan de la Cierva1895–1936👤 Paul Cornu1881–1944
- Field
- Movement
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Aircraft with a main rotor and an anti-torque tail rotor (Sikorsky configuration), capable of controlled hovering flight. The VS-300 configuration became the worldwide standard.
Focke's Fw 61 (1936) was the first fully controllable helicopter; the VS-300 (1939) fixed the single-main-rotor-with-tail-rotor configuration. La Cierva contributed the articulated rotor.
What it led to
- Medical evacuation and aerial rescue
- Korean and Vietnam wars (air mobility)
- Transport to oil platforms and cities
Built on
Made possible
- Turbine helicopter