The Helicopter That Learned to Hover
On September 14, 1939, an unusual flying machine rose above the ground in Stratford, Connecticut. Its frame was open, its engine was exposed, and safety tethers limited how far it could move. At the controls was its designer, Igor Sikorsky. The machine, called the VS-300, was beginning a series of tests that would help shape practical helicopters.
The VS-300 was not the first helicopter ever built. For many years, inventors had experimented with machines that could rise straight up. Making one lift off was difficult enough. Making it stable and controllable was an even greater challenge. Sikorsky and his team kept changing the VS-300 as they worked on those problems.
How does a helicopter rise?
An airplane usually moves forward along a runway so air can flow over its wings and create lift. A helicopter can rise without a runway because its wings move instead. These rotating wings are called rotor blades. As the blades spin, they push air downward, helping lift the helicopter upward.
- frame:
- The structure that supports a machine or object.
- exposed:
- Uncovered and open to view.
- stable:
- Steady and not likely to move out of control.
- counter:
- To act against or reduce an effect.
- dependable:
- Able to work reliably.
- arrangements:
- Ways that parts are placed or organized.
- practical:
- Useful and able to work in real situations.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why was controlling a helicopter harder than simply making it rise?
- 2How do a helicopter and an airplane create lift differently?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“The Helicopter That Learned to Hover” is a explanatory article reading passage about Helicopter design, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (502 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.