Helicopters remain stationary in mid-air but not plane. Why?

Answer 1

Wings have to have air flowing over and under them to create lift to fly. Helicopters are technically Rotating Winged Aircraft. The rotors are the wings. As long as they are turning they create lift...even though the body of the helicopter is stationary

Answer 2

When the air flows over the wing of an airplane it gives it lift thereby keeping it in the air. The airplane has to keep moving to stay up. On a Helicopter the blades are the wings. They keeping moving in a circle and this creates the lift that the helicopter needs to stay in the air. The small propeller on the back end of the helicopter is either sped up or slowed down to keep the helicopter steady and from spinning in the same direction as the blades. It is also used to point the helicopter is the direction the pilot wants to go.

Answer 3

It is not the tail rotor, which is used for turning left or right. Helicopters can and Harrier AV8B of Marines can throw down as much air as their weight is. They balance the gravity pull by creating enough lift, because of Newton's third law of motion. V 22 Osprey of Marines and to some extent F-35 STOL will also be able to hover

Answer 4

You Have many good answers and you also have a couple of bad ones. The tail rotor does not keep it at a hover and it does counter the torsion from the main rotor and by controlling that torsion also allowing the tail rotor to control turning at lower speeds(most heli's)below 40 knots. To counter this torsion in tandem rotor aircraft is done by both heads counter rotating from each other. As for Harriers they use air blast nozzles at the wing tips,nose and tail for direction flight in a hover. Although to hover a helicopter rotor head is variable pitch therefore being adjust the angle of attack of the rotor wing surface

Answer 5

Helicopters produce both an up and and down draft.
By regulating the drafts, a helicopter can hover in mid air.

Answer 6

To remain stationary in mid-air, you need to counter balance the weight and gravity.

Helicopter's blades push the air down and create the lift.

Planes need to have air flow under it's wing to create that lift. It must be constant in motion with opposing the air direction.

Answer 7

Most planes have to have forward motion to produce lift. The action of the air passing over and under the wing affects the air pressure. The pressure above is lower producing lift.

Answer 8

The British Made Harrier does

Answer 9

Helicopters have a tail rotor that keeps it stationery. Planes don't.

Answer 10

Airplanes use their wings for lift, and unless they are moving fast enough, they do not have enough lift to stay up. Of course, VTOLs such as the Harrier can thrust downward to get enough lift to hover.