Visual Differences

[Vassago]

Student pilot, and trying to learn the visual differences between various helicopter brands

 

Enstrom, Robinson, Schweizer.. easily discernible

 

For some reason I can't see anything definitive to tell the difference between a eurocopter and a bell

 

obviously its model specific, but is there anything specific about either brand that screams I'm a Bell?

 

Robinson has that clearly visible rotor mast, Enstrom with the tadpole look, schweizer is a glass ball with a tail rotor...

 

Sikorsky's I could probably figure out over time, but I dont see them as much

 

is there a site that helps differentiate different brands?

[67november]

Vertical Mag has a fleet poster that shows nearly all types of helicopters out there.

 

http://www.verticalmag.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=90

Edited March 9, 2010 by 67november

[heligirl03]

The poster is great and worth the $20 especially for your wall when you start teaching. But also give yourself some time. You remember being a kid and not knowing the difference between one car and the next? Same thing, and the more you get involved in the industry the more you'll read about the helis and see them everywhere...you'll start to recognize them, and form opinions Pick up a few old Heli-Ops and Vertical Mags and paw through them a couple of dozen times to start

 

Have fun!

 

HG03

 

edit: at a quick glance side by side, EC look more like goldfish (snub nose, but not to be confused with MD) and Bell look more like dolphins (beakier, but not to be confused with Agusta).

[FauxZ]

You can also browse Airliners.net, they have plenty of pictures there of every helicopter you can imagine.

[Rick McWilliams]

It will not be long before you will recognize a helicopter by the sound of the engine, main rotor and tail rotor.

[ADRidge]

It will not be long before you will recognize a helicopter by the sound of the engine, main rotor and tail rotor.

 

Haha, so true!

[Lindsey]

Simple:

If you see it and your mind is completely blown by its stunning beauty, it is probably a Eurocopter.

If you see it and your ears are blown by the power and beauty of the sound of its rotors, it is probably a UH-1 Bell Huey.

If you see and you say to yourself, "holy $@#$ I want to fly that!!" it is probably a Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk.

If you see it and think it's so ugly it's beautiful, it is probably a Boeing CH-47 Chinook.

 

The list goes on.

 

 

P.S. The part about the Blackhawk is non-negotiable. You think I'm kidding?

[Eric Hunt]

2 blades - Bell (big and small) or Robinson

 

3 blades - Eurocopter or Schweizer

 

4 blades - MD or Sikorsky or Agusta or big Bell

 

5 blades - MD or something very big

 

That will point you in the right direction - there are exceptions to every rule, and I expect someone will take exception to this post!

[67november]

6 Blades - looks like a preying mantis Erickson sky crane

[arotrhd]

...and the one with 13 blades (yes, ALL 13).

 

-WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

[Goldy]

...and the one with 13 blades (yes, ALL 13).

 

-WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

 

Yes, the Russian monster..

[Goldy]

2 blades - Bell (big and small)[/quote

 

Yes, the bigger bells like the 407, 427, 429, 430, 412, are all 4 blade mains....ever wonder why they stuck with two blades as the ships got bigger back in the day? 222, 214, 205, etc.?

 

Eric- love your posts..

 

Goldy

Edited March 10, 2010 by Goldy

[EC120AV8R]

2 blades - Bell (big and small) or Robinson

 

3 blades - Eurocopter or Schweizer

 

4 blades - MD or Sikorsky or Agusta or big Bell

 

5 blades - MD or something very big

 

That will point you in the right direction - there are exceptions to every rule, and I expect someone will take exception to this post!

No exception taken, but...

 

What about the Eurocopters with 4 blades (AS332, EC145/UH72A, and EC135), or 5 blades (EC225, or EC155).

 

You can be pretty sure of this: if it has a Fenestron it's probably a Eurocopter. I know, I know...the Comance had a fenestron and I think Bell toyed with it on an experimental ship. can't think of any others.

[Rick McWilliams]

It is hard to count the blades when they are turning. The fenestron tail rotors make a distincitve yowl.

[Hawkeye0001]

It is hard to count the blades when they are turning.

Naaa, simple: just blink your eyelids at a rate around 30 times a second. Or multiples thereof if you don't mind epileptical seizures

[arotrhd]

Oh, I almost forgot to add the one-blade helicopter. No joke. You can check that one off your list.

 

 

-WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

 

 

Alright, since NOBODY here would believe me anyways, try the Sikorsky XV-2 (concept).

[Eric Hunt]

Howard Hughes built a one-blader too - massive thing which wasn't practical.

[arotrhd]

[Eric]

 

 

The ... movement......must....must....not watch....

 

...difficulty... ..keeping.. ...control... ....must control....

 

 

....MAYDAY...

 

 

-WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

[Wally]

Bells:

206s- pointy nose, with tall, thin masts with 2 blades, long skids and long skinny tail booms; 2 m/r blades, distinctive sound. Narrow fuselage.

407- same-same fuselage (as 206 Long Ranger) with shorter mast, "growls" in flight.

 

Eurocopters (120, 350/130)- Nose cone rounded (120/130 no distinct nose cone), short skids, tail boom conical, 3 blade m/r, you can hear each blade in flight but still sort of 'growls'.