Which rotor supplies the principal lift to a rotorcraft?

Which rotor supplies the principal lift to a rotorcraft?

• A. Main Rotor
• B. Tail Rotor
• C. Horizontal Stabilizer
• D. Auxiliary Rotor

Answer: (A)

Lift in a rotorcraft comes from the main rotor. Its spinning blades act like wings, creating the upward force that supports the aircraft in hover and during flight. The amount of lift is mainly controlled by the collective pitch (changing blade angle) and the rotor speed. The tail rotor isn’t there to lift; it provides anti-torque to counter the main rotor’s rotational force, which prevents the fuselage from spinning and enables coordinated yaw control. The horizontal stabilizer helps keep the aircraft stable in pitch and can influence lift a little, but it isn’t the primary lifting surface. An auxiliary rotor may exist in some designs, but in a typical rotorcraft the main rotor is responsible for the principal lift.

Lift in a rotorcraft comes from the main rotor. Its spinning blades act like wings, creating the upward force that supports the aircraft in hover and during flight. The amount of lift is mainly controlled by the collective pitch (changing blade angle) and the rotor speed. The tail rotor isn’t there to lift; it provides anti-torque to counter the main rotor’s rotational force, which prevents the fuselage from spinning and enables coordinated yaw control. The horizontal stabilizer helps keep the aircraft stable in pitch and can influence lift a little, but it isn’t the primary lifting surface. An auxiliary rotor may exist in some designs, but in a typical rotorcraft the main rotor is responsible for the principal lift.