Welcome to Vertipedia!
Vertipedia is a product of the Vertical Flight Society. With data on 865 aircraft, 620 historical milestones, 537 people, and 395 organizations, Vertipedia is your "one-stop shop" for all things vertical lift.
Featured aircraft
Our latest featured aircraft for March is the Cierva W.11 Air Horse .
The aircraft was designed to provide viable heavy load lifting capability for commercial operations. It employed 3 main rotors all rotating in the same direction. Torque offset was provided by thrust components from the 3 rotors through built-in shaft tilt. The aircraft had a semi-monoquoque structure, a single engine, and a long-stroke undercarriage (5ft) to cope with high rates of descent. A description of the aircraft and its characteristics can be found in the following references,
Source: "The Cierva W-11 Air Horse", J. Gordon Leishman, VERTIFLITE Spring 2003, Page 52
Source: "Discussing the Helicopter", FLIGHT Staff, FLIGHT, December 2nd 1948, Pages 665-668
Vertipedia Notes
Vertipedia notes are brief descriptions of how and why Vertipedia works the way it does. Check back often for the latest note, or view the complete list.
Glossary
Vertipedia includes a glossary, available from the built-in menus. Although most terms used in the database have a well understood definition there is always the possibility that a term used might be interpreted differently by various users from a range of backgrounds and experience. We encourage all users to use the glossary to avoid any possible confusion. Please use the Feedback option if you require any clarification or believe the Glossary should be changed in any way.
Explore Vertipedia
Vertipedia makes it easy for you to find a range of information on vertical flight, including:
- Targeted searches of documents provided by the Vertical Flight Society, as well as public sources from across the internet
- Important milestones that have helped shape the history of vertical flight
- People who have played a role in vertical flight
- Vertical flight aircraft, such as helicopters, tilt rotors and tilt wings, jet-lift VTOL, and more.
