The Helicopter—Today and Tomorrow

Extract

In the first 30 years of its existence, the helicopter has grown four times in speed and 75 times in gross weight. A comparable period in fixed-wing operation showed a speed growth of eight and 40 times in gross weight. The US aerospace industry (total 1.3 million persons) is currently employing 48 000 (3%) of its total force to build helicopters. However, this 3% is delivering over half of the manned aircraft being procured. US military inventory of helicopters has grown from 7317 helicopters in fiscal 1966 to 12 486 in fiscal 1969, thus comprising 35% of US manned aircraft. Military pilot training has already swung in favour of helicopters in the US, with 6000 fixed wing pilots trained annually compared with 7500 helicopter pilots annually. A similar trend is expected to take place in Europe and Asia.

The helicopter is beginning to stabilise in several fairly clear families or classes.