autorotation
Spinning blade descent
Autorotation is the rotation of an object driven by airflow rather than an engine or motor.
In aviation, it refers to a helicopter's emergency descent technique where the rotor blades spin freely, powered by rising air as the aircraft falls, allowing a controlled landing without engine power.
Maple seeds descend by autorotation, spinning as they fall: The pilot practiced autorotation in case of engine failure.
Aircraft lifted by blades
- collective pitchUniform rotor blade angle
- engine failureLoss of motor function
- tail rotorRear-mounted stabilizing propeller
- hoverRemain suspended midair
flare · inertia · airflow · emergency procedure · touchdown · skids · crashworthy · gyroplane
Mechanism for vertical transport
- dragResistance through fluid
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- descentDownward slope or lineage
airfoil · stall · vortex · inertia · kinetic energy · angular momentum · thrust · turbulence
Winged tree fruit
- samaraWinged botanical dispersal unit
- whirlybirdInformal term for helicopter
- seed dispersalTransport of plant embryos
- winged seedSeed with aerodynamic appendage
helicopter seed · sycamore · germination · seedpod · botanical · linden
Unimpeded downward motion
- flat spinUncontrolled aerial rotation
- terminal velocityMaximum speed during freefall
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
body position · parachute · deployment · tumble · jumpmaster
rotorcraft
Aircraft lifted by blades
- collective pitchUniform rotor blade angle
- engine failureLoss of motor function
- tail rotorRear-mounted stabilizing propeller
hover · flare · inertia · airflow · emergency procedure · touchdown · skids · crashworthy · gyroplane · controlled descent
lift
Mechanism for vertical transport
- dragResistance through fluid
- airspeedAircraft's atmospheric velocity
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
descent · airfoil · stall · vortex · inertia · kinetic energy · angular momentum · thrust · turbulence
maple seed
Winged tree fruit
- samaraWinged botanical dispersal unit
- whirlybirdInformal term for helicopter
- seed dispersalTransport of plant embryos
winged seed · helicopter seed · sycamore · germination · seedpod · botanical · linden
freefall
Unimpeded downward motion
- flat spinUncontrolled aerial rotation
- terminal velocityMaximum speed during freefall
- stabilityResistance to displacement
body position · recovery · parachute · deployment · tumble · jumpmaster
- Auto- wordsautomobile, autopilot, autocorrect, autobiography, autograph
- landingslanding, touchdown, touch and go, emergency landing, soft landing
- emergency maneuversemergency landing, crash landing, forced landing, ditching, evasive action
- helicopter termshover, hovering, rotor, rotors, tail rotor
- pilotingtakeoff, landing, climbing, cruising, descending
- RC helicoptersRC helicopters, tail rotor, rotor blades, gyro, collective pitch
autorotationpowered flight
Aircraft movement via engines
jet propulsion · level flight · hover · climb