Rotors

Because the US is in the northern hemisphere and this side of the Intl. Date Line. It's the same reason that water circles down the drain a certain way .  .  . Just joking, I've got no clue.

HooYah Deep Sea

Because the US is in the northern hemisphere and this side of the Intl. Date Line. It's the same reason that water circles down the drain a certain way .  .  . Just joking, I've got no clue.

 

BK

seastallion53

A thought I have. Why do American made helos rotor heads rotate counter clockwise and every one else's helo rotor heads rotate clockwise, just curious…

Useless response: No one knows! But there are some ideas.... See Helicopter Rotation Conventions. Another web page on the same site responds in about the same way to the question of why helicopter pilots sit on the right rather than on the right as in real aircraft!

Bob

Don't some countries have aircraft engines  that turn in opposite direction than US?

BrandonK

 

 

HooYah Deep Sea

Because the US is in the northern hemisphere and this side of the Intl. Date Line. It's the same reason that water circles down the drain a certain way .  .  . Just joking, I've got no clue.

 

 

 

 

I'm reading this and I'm like "what?....oh, lol

 

BK

 

Same here.

That was a funny post, Deep Sea

Its pretty much only the French and Russians who have clockwise rotating rotors.  No advantage to or reason for either one really, it just changes which pedal you push to compensate for increasing/decreasing main rotor torque.

The rotor craft from the UK also turn clockwise, I doubt there is any particular scientific logic involved, any more than why UK cars have steering wheels on the right side.

Some US helicopters have the pilots controls on the right side, like Bell, but the Hughes 500 series have pilot controls on the left side. Just a particular design feature, I guess.

Which UK helicopters have clockwise rotation?  Just curious.

I don't know all of the UK manufactured helicopters, but I think most of them rotate clockwise. The Lynx comes to mind and the old Sycamore, I think the UK was equipped with helicopters from various manufacturers outside the country.

Maybe Bish or someone with more knowledge than me will drop in, I'm curious now too. Perhaps a Google search for "British helicopters?" 

"Veddddddddyyyyyyyy Intaresting, but slightly peculiar".

Jim 

Stay Safe.

The only UK helicopter that I know of that has clockwise rotation of the main rotor is the Westland-Aerospatiale Puma HC.1.  But, technically, its more French than it is British.  The Lynx is counter-clockwise.  

Why did the Wildcats France ordered have throttle quadrants that opened backwards?

Made for interesting times when they were diverted to England.

Actually, they all rotate in both directions- it all depends on your point of view.  Are you looking down from the top, or up from the bottom? 

patrick206

I don't know all of the UK manufactured helicopters, but I think most of them rotate clockwise. The Lynx comes to mind and the old Sycamore, I think the UK was equipped with helicopters from various manufacturers outside the country.

Maybe Bish or someone with more knowledge than me will drop in, I'm curious now too. Perhaps a Google search for "British helicopters?" 

 

You know what, i have never given it any thought. But i do know that which direction the rotors spin determines which side the tail rotor is on. And all the British helicopters i have seen, flown on or worked with have the tail rotor on the right apart from the Puma, Gazelle and Chinook.

Looking at pics of the Gazelle and judging by the leading edge, it looks as though it rotates the same as other French helicopters, clockwise from above.

On the Chinook, the rear rotor turns clockwise, front rotor turns counter-clockwise.  Tail rotors can be on either side, regardless of which way the main rotor turns.  

Cadet Chuck

Actually, they all rotate in both directions- it all depends on your point of view.  Are you looking down from the top, or up from the bottom? 

 

boB