Helicopters are a useful form of aircraft for many operations, capable of conducting flight in areas where conventional fixed-wing aircraft are not feasible. For example, helicopters are able to take off and land vertically, meaning they do not require runways. Nevertheless, helicopters still necessitate landing gear for basic ground operations and for touching down, and these assemblies may come in various forms. While skids are often seen on many helicopter models, various others will still feature wheel assemblies such as would be seen on fixed-wing aircraft. Typically, wheels are reserved for larger helicopters, due to their various characteristics and requirements. In this piece, we will discuss the wheels of helicopters and why some models choose them over typical skids.
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Helicopters are designed with unique flight characteristics that provide them with the efficiency and speed they currently possess. Considered rotary-wing aircraft, helicopters are equipped with rotors, or rotating airfoils, that produce lift in a similar way wings provide lift on fixed-wing aircraft. Regarding helicopters, the air flows at a faster rate over the curved, upper surface of the rotors, creating a negative pressure that lifts the aircraft.
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