How has the helicopter changed over time?

Answer 1

Realistically speaking, today's helicopters are extremely similar to the first practical helicopter designs, those of the 30s to 50s. A huge number of interesting designs were tried out when helicopters were first being developed - the current "standard" helicopter layout was found to be the most practical, but virtually all of the other possible designs have been made into fully functional helicopters, once the appropriate new technology was able to overcome their limitations vs. the "standard" design.

The primary difference has been the replacement of the piston engine with the gas turbine engine, which provides much "smoother" power (i.e a continuous power profile) and a considerably higher power/weight ratio. The other major change has been the significant use of composites in the helicopter airframe and rotor, replacing aluminum in most cases.

A few other changes have also made there way into helicopter designs:

• Ducted tail rotors like the AS 365
• NOTAR (NO TAil Rotor) designs like the MD-540 that use exhaust from the turbines ducted to the tail boom to counter rotor torque
• The creation of the armed attack helicopter in the 1960s - an armed and sometimes armored helicopter specifically designed to attack rather than designate targets
• Digital flight controls, and new fly-by-wire designs replacing mechanical linkages
• Fully pressurized cabins
• Large cargo bays with deployable ramps, allowing for vehicles to be driven directly into the helicopter

In addition to the technological changes listed above, the role that helicopters have placed in both the military and civilian society has evolved.

Heavy lift helicopters (the Sikorsky S-64 'SkyCrane' being the prototypical example) are now employed in a huge variety of locations, from skyscraper construction, to remote logging operations, offshore platform resupply and construction, to salvage operations.

The advent of the "LifeFlight" fast-reaction medical helicopter has significantly changed trauma care in most industrialized nations, with the ability to transport trauma victims (typically, from accidents) from the scene to the hospital in minutes rather than one or more hours.

With increasing power and larger designs, the ability of helicopters to transport more troops and equipment (and, a larger variety thereof) has proved a very significant revolution in military tactics. The entire concept of the "airmobile" infantry force come into being in the early 1960s with the advent of the Utility helicopter, the famous UH-1 Huey being the poster child. Air support was now also more sustainable than from a quick flyby of a jet - the evolution of aerial fire support took a huge jump forward with the creation of the Attack Helicopter. Fast anti-tank support was now just a radio call (and minutes) away, even over the roughest terrain, and pinpoint rocket and machinegun fire also changed the characteristics of the infantry battle.

Helicopters, mated with increasingly sophisticated sensors and weapons, have evolved into the primary threat against submarines.

Helicopters have also supplanted small planes for many remote region resupply jobs, and are now the de-facto platform of choice for many forestry-related jobs; from firespotting, to fire-fighting, to logging, and even animal medivac.