Helicopters have two distinct flying "modes" depending on how much forward speed you have. Above a certain speed threshold, they behave almost exactly like a fixed-wing aircraft, except for some much larger gyroscopic effects. Below the threshold (hover and transitioning to/from hover) the dynamics change dramatically, inherent stability is lost, and it feels like trying to keep a marble centered on an upside-down bowl. The above applies only to traditional helicopters which perform their flight controls using a swashplate, articulated blades, etc. or the Bell-Hiller system. It would be easy to make a fly-by-wire helicopter which did not display the above discontinuity. I think that the general behavior was in part dictated by technology limitations (no inherent stability in hover) and in part by intention (making the mid-flight behavior as similar to a fixed-wing aircraft as possible). I think it is entirely possible to fly a wheeled helicopter just like a fixed-wing plane (rolling take-off and landing) if you never need to hover or auto-rotate. Sean On Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 9:16 AM, peter green wrote: > >>Do **NOT** attempt horizontal landings !!! http://www.aviation.com/wp- > content/uploads/2015/02/V-22.jpg > >And once you have landed make sure there is a tractor to pull you to > your parking spot ... > > AIUI helicopters frequently land much like aircraft either landing on > their wheels if they have wheels and are landing on a runway or coming in= to > a ground effect hover just before they touch the ground. Coming in > vertically is possible but risky and fuel hungry. Helicopters with wheels > can taxi on the ground. > > From looking on youtube it looks like when taxing and taking off from a > runway the V22 operates with the proprotors almost but not quite vertical > and when landing it operates with them vertical. > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D3zfbgadNdmM > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DYEYOTv0v058 > -- > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .