rotor wash
Blade-generated turbulence below
Rotor wash is the turbulent downward airflow generated by a helicopter's spinning rotor blades.
The blast can flatten grass, scatter debris, and knock people off their feet: The rotor wash kicked up a cloud of dust as the helicopter landed.
Emergency responders and ground crews must account for rotor wash when working near hovering aircraft.
- downwashAir deflected beneath airfoil
- airflowMovement of atmosphere
- brownoutTemporary power decrease
- liftMechanism for vertical transport
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
vortex · ground effect · rotorcraft · propeller · boundary layer · chopper · air ambulance · thrust · whiteout · helicopter · outwash · erosion · flat spin · drag · windblast · hover · vertical lift · buffeting
- air rescuemedevac, air ambulance, helicopter rescue, airlift, life flight
- helicopter termshover, hovering, rotors, autorotation, cyclic
- propellerspropeller, blade, prop, blade tip, three-blade