The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine single-rotor military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. It was produced by the American manufacturer Bell Helicopter and is closely related to the Model 206A JetRanger civilian helicopter.
Bell OH-58 Kiowa
YOH-4A LOH in flight
OH-58 Kiowa
Two OH-58D in flight
On a helicopter, the main rotor or rotor system is the combination of several rotary wings with a control system, that generates the aerodynamic lift force that supports the weight of the helicopter, and the thrust that counteracts aerodynamic drag in forward flight. Each main rotor is mounted on a vertical mast over the top of the helicopter, as opposed to a helicopter tail rotor, which connects through a combination of drive shaft(s) and gearboxes along the tail boom. The blade pitch is typically controlled by the pilot using the helicopter flight controls. Helicopters are one example of rotary-wing aircraft (rotorcraft). The name is derived from the Greek words helix, helik-, meaning spiral; and pteron meaning wing.
A Bell AH-1 SuperCobra with a semirigid rotor system with a 2-bladed main rotor
NOTAR helicopter with a rotorless tail
Tail Rotor of a Sea Lynx, the smaller tail rotor counter-acts the force of the spinning main rotor in many designs, although there is other solutions to this, such as having two counter-rotating main rotors
Looking up at CH-53G, which has 6-blades on its main rotor
