Which category best describes rotary-wing aircraft?

• A. They rely on rotating blades to generate lift
• B. They rely on fixed wings to generate lift
• C. They hover using buoyancy
• D. They generate lift only during forward flight

Answer: (A)

Rotary-wing aircraft generate lift with their spinning blades, or rotors. As the rotor turns, the blades push air downward, creating an upward force that supports the aircraft’s weight. This setup lets rotorcraft hover in place, take off and land vertically, and maneuver without needing to move forward fast. That contrasts with fixed-wing aircraft, which rely on stationary wings to generate lift and require forward airspeed. Hovering through buoyancy describes lighter-than-air craft like balloons, not rotorcraft, and lift that only occurs during forward flight ignores the ability of rotor blades to produce lift even at zero forward speed. So the category that best describes rotor-wing aircraft is that they rely on rotating blades to generate lift.