Welcome to Vertipedia!
Vertipedia is a product of the Vertical Flight Society. With data on 865 aircraft, 620 historical milestones, 525 people, and 395 organizations, Vertipedia is your "one-stop shop" for all things vertical lift.
On August 8 in the history of vertical flight:
1989 - First flight of the Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk
1997 - Fastest speed around the world, eastbound, by a piston engine rotorcraft (Robinson R44 Astro)
Featured aircraft
Our latest featured aircraft for August 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.
Linking milestones and biographies
A key feature of Vertipedia is making connections between important events in VTOL history and the people who helped to create them. Wherever possible, we attempt to highlight the most direct connection (e.g. the pilot or crew of a first flight). Some connections are more subtle but still worth recording (e.g. key people involved in creating a concept, theory or design). These connections will always be open to debate so we welcome feedback on how these connections can be improved.
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.
