Helicopters SAR.

Search and Rescue.

What are the best helicopters employed for search and rescue operations?

The Sikorsky S-61 and Westland Sea King have probably in the British isles been the best to serve in this role. France has used the Super Frelon, Russia and Eastern European countries the Mil Mi-14/17/117. All basically the same machine with additions added on.

First things with SAR is you need range, you also need capacity. It would be no good going out 250 miles to a tanker sinking fast with 17 crew and a SA-365 Dolphin? 

The U.S. have used a variety of machines, but it looks like the S-92H will be the helicopter for the beginning of this century. Meanwhile Canada has joined many other nations in buying the Westland-Augusta AW-101 Merlin.

Gyro-Planes. Part-One.

The Gyro-plane is one of the most interesting type of aircraft ever invented in the aviation world. It was the Beagle-Wallis WA-116 type that featured in one of the 007 James Bond movies (written by Ian Fleming).

Around the late 1950's and into the early 60's these aircraft were popular and several designs were flying such as the U.S. Umbagh H-18, 2-seater, the Canadian Avian 2/180, 2/3-seat, the Benson copter and the largest being the British Westland Rotodyne V/STOL 40-seater.

These aircraft combine a helicopter rotor and a rear propeller, giving them speed and manoeuvrability on the slower level that a conventional helicopter or aircraft. 

Varied uses can be found for them, both civil and military.