helicopter

 Story of Helicopters

by Prof. Saqib Rasheed 

   It was inevitable, perhaps, that the first fairly practical ideas on flying machines should have come from the great Lenardo da Vinci. Aeronautic-ally speaking. Leonardo produced one of the first drawings of a parachute, he devised a helicopter. The word "Helicopter" comes from the Greek helix ( a screw) and pteron (wing), and Leonardo's concept was just that - a spiral wing that would "screw" itself up into the air. 

    Throughout the years in which aeroplanes were becoming more practical and widely accepted, each increase in speed and load carrying ability, seemed to be accompanied automatically, by higher take off and landing speeds, longer take off and landing runs. Most accidents occurred during these periods of flight. 

    One obvious substitute was the helicopter which had been tested successfully in France as far back as 1907. The breguet Richet Gyroplane No. 1 had lifted itself from the ground, carrying a pilot. Shortly afterwards Paul Cornu worked on tandem-rotor helicopter.