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Rotorcraft Flying Menu > Introduction
to the Helicopter > The Main Rotor System
Helicopters come in many sizes and shapes,
but most share the same major components. These components include
a cabin where the payload and crew are car-ried; an airframe,
which houses the various compo-nents, or where components are
attached; a powerplant or engine; and a transmission, which,
among other things, takes the power from the engine and transmits
it to the main rotor, which provides the aerodynamic forces
that make the helicopter fly. Then, to keep the helicopter from
turning due to torque, there must be some type of antitorque
system. Finally there is the landing gear, which could be skids,
wheels, skis, or floats. This chapter is an introduction to
these compo-nents. [Figure 1-1]
Figure 1-1. The major components of
a helicopter are the cabin, airframe, landing gear, powerplant,
transmission, main rotor system, and tail rotor system.
THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM
The rotor system found on helicopters can consist
of a single main rotor or dual rotors. With most dual rotors,
the rotors turn in opposite directions so the torque from one
rotor is opposed by the torque of the other. This cancels the
turning tendencies. [Figure 1-2] In general, a rotor system
can be classified as either fully articulated, semirigid, or
rigid. There are varia-tions and combinations of these systems,
which will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 5—Helicopter
Systems.
Figure 1-2. Helicopters can have a
single main rotor or a dual rotor system.
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