Welcome to Vertipedia!
Vertipedia is a product of the Vertical Flight Society. With data on 862 aircraft, 613 historical milestones, 474 people, and 393 organizations, Vertipedia is your "one-stop shop" for all things vertical lift.
Featured aircraft
Our latest featured aircraft for November 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.
Aircraft Types, Variants and Versions
The aircraft module in Vertipedia assumes a Type/Variant/Version structure for aircraft from the same family (or series). In many large programs the manufacturer uses this type of structure (possibly using different terms) to develop a range of different versions for different customers. A version normally defines an aircraft for a specific operator. A specific aircraft can only be assigned to one Type and Variant. Aircraft do not have to be assigned to a Type or Variant.
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.
