Terms and concepts of helicopter flying

Helicopter pilots use many specific terms and jargon during a flight to communicate clearly and quickly with air traffic control, crew and passengers. This can vary depending on the type of flight (civil, military, rescue operations), but below are familiar and commonly used terms:

✈️ General communication with air traffic control

Roger - Message received and understood.
Wilco - Will comply, I will implement it.
Affirmative / Negative - Yes / No.
Stand by - Hold on.
Mayday - Emergency call for life-threatening situation.
Pan-Pan - Urgency call (less serious than Mayday).

🛠️ Helicopter-specific terms

Collective - The lever used to adjust the overall rotor blade angle (pitch) to gain or drop altitude.
Cyclic - The control stick that controls the direction and speed of the helicopter.
Pedals / Anti-torque pedals - Pedals that control the tail rotor to turn the nose of the helicopter.
Hover - Hanging silently in the air.
Translational lift - Additional lift when moving forward.
Autorotation - Emergency procedure that allows the helicopter to land safely in the event of engine failure.
RPM (rotor RPM) - Speed of the main rotor.
Collective down / up - Reduce or increase lift.

🌍 Navigation and positions

Inbound / Outbound - Inbound to or outbound from a location.
LZ (Landing Zone) - Landing area.
Waypoint - Navigation point.
Pattern - Circuit around an airport or heliport.
VFR (Visual Flight Rules) - Flying by sight.
IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) - flying by instruments.
Altitude / AGL - Height above sea level or Above Ground Level.

🚁 During operations or special missions

Cleared to land / Cleared for takeoff - Permission to land or take off.
On final - Final approach to landing.
RTB (Return To Base) - Back to base.
Winching - Hoisting people or equipment up/down.
Cargo hook - Hook for external cargo.

🚁 Common names for a helicopter

Helicopter - Official designation.
Chopper - Informal nickname, especially in military or popular context.
Rotorcraft - Collective name for all aircraft with rotating rotors.
Bird - Snake in military context ("We've got two birds inbound").
Huey / Apache / Black Hawk - Common type names for specific models.

🏗 Important parts of a helicopter

Section	Meaning
Main rotor	Main rotor generating lift and forward motion
Tail rotor	Tail rotor that compensates for torque and controls nose direction
Rotor blades	The rotor blades generating the lift
Rotor hub	The central part where the rotor blades are attached
Fuselage	The fuselage of the helicopter
Cockpit	The cockpit where the pilot sits
Skids	Helicopter landing feet (instead of wheels)
Landing gear	Undercarriage (can be skids or wheels)
Engine / Turbine	The motor driving the rotors
Transmission	The system that transmits motor power to the rotors
Swashplate	Mechanism controlling the position of the rotor blades
Mast	Vertical axis on which the main rotor is mounted
Vertical stabiliser	Tailplane that helps with stability
Horizontal stabiliser	Small wing-like part on tail for balance
Cargo hook	Hook under the helicopter for external load
Winch / Hoist	Hoist system for rescues or goods

🛠 Control and operation

Cyclic - Steering stick that controls tilt direction and speed.
Collective - Lever to raise/lower the overall lift.
Anti-torque pedals - Pedals to operate the tail rotor (nose turn).
Throttle - Throttle lever (separate on some helicopters, integrated on modern ones).
Trim - Fine adjustment for stable flight.

📡 Technical terms around flying

Hover - Hanging silently in the air.
Autorotation - Motorless emergency landing with the rotor in free flight.
Translational lift - Additional lift on forward motion due to improved airflow.
RPM (rotor RPM) - Speed of the rotor.
Vortex ring state - Dangerous airflow into which a helicopter can "fall".
Ground effect - Extra lift close to the ground.