Today the helicopter market in the US alone is worth $45.2 billion and that number is only expected to grow further in the coming years. New technology is constantly being developed to make helicopters more efficient and effective machines. From humble beginnings to the present day, the helicopter and its history are both fascinating to behold.
That’s why today we’re going to be taking a look at five of the most interesting helicopter facts there are. Read on to learn some fun facts about helicopters you never knew.
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The Concept Has Been Around for Thousands of Years
One of the most interesting helicopter history facts is that designs for vertical flight machines similar to the helicopter have been found as far back as 400 CE. While the first helicopter capable of the flight wasn’t developed until much later, this shows that humans were thinking about the possibility of a machine like a helicopter from very early on. In addition to this, Leonardo DaVinci (of Mona Lisa fame) even had a draft for a similar machine he called the vertical screw.
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The First Helicopter Flew Over 100 Years Ago
The first helicopter capable of the flight was created way back in 1907 by a French engineer called Paul Cornu. This was just three years after the first successful flight of an airplane. Cornu was a bicycle maker by trade and although he gained recognition for his achievement, it didn’t impact his career in any significant way.
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They Can Achieve Impressive Speeds
Helicopters have certain limitations. They can only fly relatively restricted distances because of the amount of fuel their engines can hold and they’re not as fast as many airplanes, but in some cases, they can be pretty impressive. The fastest known speed ever achieved by a helicopter is almost 250 miles per hour, about one-third as fast as the speed of sound!
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They Can Be Seriously Expensive
We’ve all seen celebrities arrive at events in style via private helicopter, but have you ever thought about how much they cost? As it turns out, the answer is a lot. While the price is going to vary a lot depending on the model you’re talking about, prices range between $250,000 and $1.7 million.
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They Have Myriad Different Uses
Helicopters are a versatile type of transportation capable of agile maneuvering and because of this fact, they’re used in a range of different settings. Of course, helicopters are used by the army, but also to put out fires, take aerial photography, bring patients to hospitals, and even for tourism purposes. For more on this last use, check out Breezehelicopters.com.
Helicopter Facts to Tell Your Friends
We hope these helicopter facts have piqued your interest and enticed you to learn more about these astounding machines. If you’re looking for more information about aerospace vehicles or any other kind of machine, you’ll find lots on our site. Don’t forget to check out some of the rest of our content now!
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