can helicopter fly inverted?

Answer 1

Not for a prolonged period of time. Some helicopters can be rolled or looped but positive Gs must be maintained throughout the maneuver. The rotor system will not withstand negative Gs that would be sustained in inverted flight for much time at all. It would collapse.

Answer 2

If one had a chopper with a main rotor stressed for inverted flight, and said special rotor had enough range of adjustment to provide inverted lift, the main rotor could support the airframe in inverted flight. However, with the entire aircraft up side down, the center of gravity is so high that balance is very difficult, at best, to maintain. While the circular momentum of the rotating assembly does provide some gyroscopic stability, even the best aerobatic pilots alive would have a very hard time maintaining an inverted attitude for any amount of time. Inverted rotary wing aircraft flight is not practical, but is possible.

Answer 3

model helicopter yes real helicopter yes, but not for long. problem is that the real helicopters unlike small RC models do not have negative pitch of rotor blades. therefore they are not able to produce the lift in the heading away from ground wwhen flying wheels/skids up. the helis may do a loop, roll, barrel roll. not a stable head-down flight.

helicopters may fly negative G-loads, with the rigid rotor system, check EC135 or Tiger/Tigre attack helicopter. The G-load does have nothing in common with the total lift produced. when you push the cyclics, u will get negative G like in a plane as long as you have the speed. it is the same like in an airplane.

Answer 4

If you turn the helicopter upside down, the rotor still pushes air "down" in relation to the helo... and that means that...

Yes, some can even sustain inverted flight for several seconds... it all depends how high you start.... if you start at say 10,000 ft... you would have a good 5 seconds of inverted flight... you may lose about 10,000 ft. of altitude in trying this however...

But yes, some helicopters are capable of very short, inverted flight...

Answer 5

Not all, and not for any extended period of time. It is simply that the rotor-head needs to maintain a positive lift (aircraft relative)...

I was a crewman in the SH-60B Seahawk for 15 years and YES, we took it inverted once or twice or thrice (rotor-lovers)... but it was FLATLY PROHIBITED in the NATOPS (aircraft manual). I will NEVER reveal the name of the AC (Aircraft Commander), but he went to Notre Dame

It can seriously strain the rotor-head and cause early need for replacement of parts... and that causes trouble because you can't exactly TELL the Maintenance Officer or Chief, "Hey, we just happened to roll the bird last night, ya might want to tear the rotor-head apart and see if we broke something !"

Answer 6

Yes.

Watch:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3PqSR-D-oc0

All of these maneuvers are positive or zero G with a special helicopter. A helicopter cannot sustain negative G or inverted flight unless it is a model.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2Ik_E4x1_Is

Answer 7

Yes they can. Several military helicopters are able, not in prolonged horizontal flight, but they can pitch or roll inverted and continue to fly.

Also the lift generated by the main rotor(s) is actually increased at altitude, out of ground effect.

Answer 8

Its not supposed to. Heck, there not supposed to fly, according to theory. But advances in avionics may allow the choppers to fly inverted. I didn't think so at one time until I saw a 'Nam vet roll a "Huey" taking off from an LZ after we were dropped off.

Answer 9

Yup, I once flew one like that but I only did it for a second or two, since the copter started spinning a little.

Answer 10

They can do barrel rolls. Is that good enough for you?

Heck, even a Blackhawk can do barrel rolls... :)