The status of Helicopters

[ShaneG_old]

For my first poll ever, I will examine an interesting topic brought up in the beautiful aircraft post.  Just for some fun, thanks for voting.

[Rich H]

Of course they are.

[Hagar]

Helicopters defy all the laws of aerodynamics. They are simply so ugly that the earfh repels them.

[expat]

Helicopters defy all the laws of aerodynamics. They are simply so ugly that the earfh repels them.

That or they should naturally screw themselves into the ground.

Matt

[Rich H]

What's so wrong with helicopters?

[specter177]

I agree that some helicopters are good looking (beautiful is stretching it) but helicopters as a whole are not.

[Souichiro]

I love the Hind Helos Except for the Hind A which is disgusting

[Sean_TK]

Helicopters are great, and I have a hard time understanding why people seem to have issues with them!

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6384566

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6353432

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6344152

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6323262

http://www.airliners.net/photo/NHV---No ... 1154416/M/

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Eurocopt ... 1040757/M/

[BFMF]

Helicopters are great, and I have a hard time understanding why people seem to have issues with them!

Ever been to a vintage helicoptor fly-in....? I sure havn't....

[Sean_TK]

It seems like the only people that don't like them are those that don't understand how they work, and/or are intimidated by them for some reason.
And I have been to a helicopter fly-in, which featured both modern and "vintage" flying and static displays, sponsored by this agency:
http://www.helicoptermuseum.org/

I have been around helicopters literally every day of my life, and I simply don't understand why people dislike them. Reasons please?

And as for the vintage comment.....I have seen plenty of flying helicopters that I would consider vintage or "almost-vintage" running about.
These include (with production dates):

Bell 47 series (1945)
Bell 206 (1962)
Piasecki H-21 (1949)
UH-1 "Huey" (1956)
CH-47 "Chinook" (1961)
AH-1 "Cobra" (1965)
OH-6/MD500 (1963)

^^ Perhaps you recognize a few of those names...

It sure is funny that people hate what they don't understand.

[Rich H]

One of my favourite helicopters is the AH-64 Apache.

[Hagar]

It seems like the only people that don't like them are those that don't understand how they work, and/or are intimidated by them for some reason.

I have been around helicopters literally every day of my life, and I simply don't understand why people dislike them. Reasons please?

It sure is funny that people hate what they don't understand.

I worked with aircraft for almost 40 years & I still spend a lot of time around them. I understand how helicopters work which is the main reason I dislike them. Too many whirling bits & pieces for my liking.

PS. Apart from that I've never seen a helicopter that I would call beautiful. They all have the appearance of huge insects.

[ShaneG_old]

I must admit, when I went to Gatlinburg Tennessee, we went on one of their helicopter tours and it scared me to death! I got to sit up by the pilot, and when he started to hover above the dam and I looked down at my feet and saw nothing but several thousand feet worth of free fall, I prayed that he knew what he was doing! The landing really freaked me out too!  :o
Helicopters also make for an interesting bailout if needed!
But they do have a lot of good looking ones.

[Flying Trucker]

Interesting poll Shane.

[BFMF]

It seems like the only people that don't like them are those that don't understand how they work, and/or are intimidated by them for some reason.

I don't hate helicoptors, I just prefer to have wings and a propeller in front of me.

But for me, a fixed wing pilot, it's my duty to give helicoptors a hard time. Just like I do the Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and the Marines. We don't hate each other, but we do like to give each other a little bit of crap every now and then....