Hover Condition

Hover Condition with Wind

During hovering flight, a helicopter maintains a constant position over a selected point, usually a few feet above the ground. For a helicopter to hover, the lift and thrust produced by the rotor system act straight up and must equal the weight and drag, which act straight down.

If there is a wind in a specific direction, the rotor blades must be tilted to the opposite direction to counter the wind movement. Cyclic to be adjusted accordingly. The phenomenon is as simple as this.


The following project demonstrates the hover condition of helicopters with variable wind speeds. The project is interactive and the user can change the direction and speed of the wind. The following link will redirect you to the project page.

(For the mobile version, please go to the bottom of the page)

Hover Condition on Scratch


Press the Left or Right arrow keys to change the wind speed. Minus means the opposite direction. 

This project demonstrates how the lift and weight react to changes in wind speed to maintain a hover condition.

In real life, the helicopters do not tilt so much. This is a mere exaggeration for example purposes only.





Mobile Version of Helicopter Hover Condition on Scratch



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