VTOL & Helo History

A social media account of the @VTOLsociety.

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

We shouldn't have to say this, but this is our policy: We encourage comments, debates and even disagreements. However, ad hominem attacks are *not* permissible. Violators will be banned.

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Trailblazing combat surgeon, #helicopter rescue pilot, pioneer and the first female French general officer, Valérie André, passed away yesterday in Paris at the age of 102!
A wonderful biography from 2017:
https://t.co/mN9dDfadSM
#avgeek #VTOLhistory #HeloHistory #Aviation #VTOL

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #Helohistory:

First flight of the @BellFlight 400 — Wednesday, April 4, 1984.

This was a 4-bladed version of the Bell 206 with a RingGuard shrouded tail rotor. The program was eventually cancelled.

https://t.co/y0GddkPPHm

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #VTOLHistory:

First flight of the PKZ 2 unmanned/Tethered Observation Helicopter — Tuesday, April 2, 1918.

The first rotary winged aircraft designed to meet a purpose (aerial observation).

https://t.co/Qfks4SvW9l

[The Vertical Flight Society @VTOLsociety]

Forbes commentary by @VTOLsociety Director of Strategy: "Why a Propeller is Not a Rotor." A propeller and a rotor are two very different things. Just because a #drone or an #eVTOL has propellers that thrust vertically, that does not make them rotors.
https://t.co/tthmuhvTIB
#AAM

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #VTOLHistory:

First manned flight of the e-volo VC200 Volocopter — Wednesday, March 30, 2016.

The first flight was conducted by e-volo managing director Alexander Zosel as a passenger.

https://t.co/zkHcVjtREu

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #VTOLHistory:

First successful bail-out from a rotary winged aircraft (Pitcairn YG-2) — Monday, March 30, 1936.

Two crew bailed-out and parachuted to safety after an in-flight rotor failure on a Pitcairn YG-2 autogiro.

https://t.co/JSnb1YTKhB

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of HAL LCH — Monday, March 29, 2010.

This was the first prototype (TD-1) and was flown by HAL's chief rotary wing test pilot, Wing Commander (ret.) Unni Pilai, and Group Captain (ret.) Hari Nair.

https://t.co/ig38irzWNH

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the first fully fly-by-wire (FBW) helicopter (@BoeingDefense -Vertol Model 347) —  Wednesday, March 27, 1974.

The aircraft’s "DELS" replaced the conventional hydraulically-boosted mechanical controls.

https://t.co/wTjFmWZRJy

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of a twin turbine powered helicopter (modified Kaman HTK-1) — Friday, March 26, 1954.

The first time that any VTOL aircraft had flown using 2 turbine engines (Boeing 502-2) as the source of power to the main rotor.

https://t.co/z2nC1O6HjC

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the @Sikorsky S-60 Crane — Wednesday, March 25, 1959.

This was Sikorsky's first iteration of the design of a flying crane. It was succeeded by the turbine powered Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane.

https://t.co/IisrHexNBg

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of AgustaWestland AW101-612 for Norwegian Air Force — Monday, March 21, 2016.

The aircraft was the winner in the competition to meet the Norwegian All Weather SAR Helicopter (NAWSARH) requirement.

https://t.co/zqBQ6ooz03

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the @Sikorsky-@Boeing SB>1 Defiant — Thursday, March 21, 2019.

The flight occurred at the Sikorsky Flight Development Center, West Palm Beach, USA.

https://t.co/3ZOIYa9lgp

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the Westland WG.13 Lynx helicopter — Sunday, March 21, 1971.

Check out this painting and description from the @VTOLsociety's 2023 History Calendar!

https://t.co/d5kcAAIyDA

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #VTOLHistory:

First flight of the Bell-Boeing V-22A — Sunday, March 19, 1989.

The V-22A was a pre-production full-scale development aircraft used for flight testing.

https://t.co/WsBndYMbAG

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the Avicopter AC313 — Thursday, March 18, 2010.

The AC313 was a development of the Harbin Z-8.

https://t.co/6haT0jleT7

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #VTOLHistory:

The @BellFlight XV-15 captures five official FAI records — Thursday, March 15, 1990.

The aircraft crew were Ronald G. Erhart and Thomas L. Warren.

https://t.co/tugaIIcBRv

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the prototype of the Sikorsky S-76A Type series — Sunday, March 13, 1977.

The aircraft was flown by Sikorsky Chief Pilot John Dixson and the program test pilot, Nick Lappos.

https://t.co/zzmwIOVhOj

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

Award of contract to convert a fixed wing autogiro to direct control — Tuesday, March 12, 1935.

A fundamental step to enabling pitch and roll control from the rotor alone for rotor-borne aircraft.

https://t.co/3bwGVLDvyG

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the SNCASE SE.3130 Alouette II — Saturday, March 12, 1955.

The aircraft did not become a Sud-Aviation product until that company was formed in 1957.

https://t.co/jhScuV70m3

[VTOL & Helo History @HeloHistory]

Today in #HeloHistory:

First flight of the KAI KUH-1 Surion, first indigenous Korean helicopter — Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

https://t.co/zpVow1x59r