Pronunciation: [hˈɛlɪkˌɒptə] (IPA) 
The word "helicopter" is typically spelled with the following IPA phonetic transcription: /ˈhɛlɪkɒptə(r)/. The first syllable, "hel," is pronounced with a short "e" sound (/ɛ/), while the second syllable, "i," is pronounced with a short "i" (/ɪ/). The final syllable, "copter," is pronounced with a long "o" (/ɒ/) followed by a voiceless "p" sound (/p/) and a voiced "t" sound (/t/), before ending with the voiced "er" sound (/ər/).
A helicopter refers to a versatile aircraft that achieves lift and propulsion through the rotation of horizontally aligned blades, also known as rotors, mounted on top of its main body. This type of aircraft is distinguished by its capability to hover in mid-air, take off and land vertically, and fly in any direction, including backward and sideways, providing it with exceptional maneuverability.
Helicopters are used across various fields such as military operations, law enforcement, search and rescue missions, medical emergencies, aerial photography, tourism, and transportation. They are equipped with powerful engines that drive the main rotors, which generate the lift necessary to support the aircraft in the air. In addition to the main rotor, many helicopters feature an auxiliary rotor at the tail to counteract the torque created by the main rotor's rotation.
Typically, helicopters have a cockpit where the pilot and sometimes co-pilot or crew operate the aircraft. They can accommodate passengers or cargo in a separate compartment. Some helicopters have retractable landing gear, enabling landings on both prepared runways and unprepared surfaces, while others are specifically designed for amphibious operations and can float on water.
Helicopters have revolutionized aviation due to their ability to access areas that are challenging or impossible to reach for fixed-wing aircraft. Their vertical takeoff and landing capabilities make them particularly useful for operations in confined spaces or emergency situations.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "helicopter" derives from two Greek words: "helico", meaning spiral or turning, and "pteron", meaning wing. The term was coined by a French inventor, Gustave de Ponton d'Amécourt, in 1861. The combination of these Greek roots aptly describes the aircraft's ability to generate lift and motion through the rotation of its wings, or rotor blades.
