Is the Helicopter Rotor similer to or different from the Airplane Propeller?
Answer Hi Devendra, I hope I can give you an adequate answer to your question. In many ways, helicopter rotor blades and propellers are the same. They are both of areofoil shape and both generate lift. In the case of the propeller however, the lift is turned through 90 degrees and is called thrust. I will describe both for you in more detail starting with the propeller. The propeller, is a rotating wing that, as it passes through the air presents an angle of attack to the airflow. As with all wings, this angle of attack helps produce the lift or thrust in this case. As either the speed of rotation of the propeller or the airspeed of the aircraft changes, the angle of attack is also changed. So modern aircraft have variable pitch blades that keep the angle of attack at the optimum for efficiency. For a helicopter rotor, the blades are also a rotating wing. Now the force produced is both lift and thrust as it must also give directional force. The main differences are that as the helicopt
