Helicopters and autogyros

All of the helicopters and autogiros displayed in the main exhibition - both civilian and military types - are placed in a single corner of the 2nd hall. Helicopters and autogiros are rotary wing aircraft. The spinning rotor generates the lift required for the aircraft to take off. A helicopter rotor is driven by the engine thorough the flight, and the aircraft is controlled by a separate, vertical tail rotor. The autogiro has a free-spinning rotor, and is usually steered with a rudder, like an airplane, rather than a tail rotor.

Helicopters can take off and land vertically, as well as hover in the air. This makes them useful for landing in locations without a proper airfield. However, compared to airplanes, they are expensive, slow and relatively uneconomic, consuming relatively more fuel. Autogiros are used mainly as private aircraft.

The history of helicopters in Finland is relatively short. The blue copter on display (Bell 47) is the oldest helicopter in Finland. The Air Force purchased it in 1953, together with the energy company Imatran Voima Ltd, to test the suitability of helicopters for the purposes of the Defense Force. The two other helicopters on display were also used by the Defense Force; a polish light Mil-Mi-1U- trainer and a soviet Mi-4- transporter.

The autogiro Kokkola KO-04 next to the Soviet helicopters was designed and built by Seppo and Kalevi Kokkola in 1968.