Most small training helicopters are powered by lightweight, air-cooled piston engines.
Helicopter piston engines are not as powerful as turbine engines, but they are a lot cheaper, hence they are popular in smaller helicopters.
Video
The video below explains how a piston engine works like those used in Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters:
Resources
- FAA Helicopter Flying Handbook Chapter 4 – Helicopter Components, Sections, and Systems
- Robinson R22 Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) Section 7 – Systems
- Robinson R22 Maintenance Manual
Related Videos
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Before you try to fly a helicopter, you first need to fully understand how helicopter flight controls work. There are four main flight controls in a helicopter: Cyclic
Collective
Anti-torque Pedals
Throttle
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The video below is an introduction ...
Helicopter Swashplate
The cyclic and collective controls affect the attitude of the main rotor disk(s), but how does that control input transfer to the disk? The answer is the swashplate.
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The video below explains how the helicopter swashplate works, demonstrated on...
Helicopter Rotor Configurations
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Tandem like the CH-47 Chinook
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All helicopters have at least one main rotor to produce the lift that keeps helicopters in the air. The type of main rotor system is defined by how the blades are connected to the rotor hub. The blades may have hinges or bearings to allow them to feather,...
Helicopter Anti-Torque Systems
Single rotor helicopters require a way to counter the torque created by turning the main rotor. There are three such options: Traditional tail rotor
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NOTAR
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The video below covers the three different types of anti-torque...
Helicopter Vibrations
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Helicopter Turbine Engine
Turbine engines are used in most medium to larger helicopters and are also used in some smaller helicopters. They provide a better power-to-weight ratio than piston engines but are more costly.
Video
The video below explains how the helicopter turbine...
