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Old 9th Apr 2008, 00:49
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Gomer Pylot
 
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I think the main reason helicopters handle turbulence better is wing loading. Small fixed-wing have relatively low wing loading, and the gusts affect the aircraft more than those with high wing loading, such as helicopters. Fixed-wing with higher wing loading handle gusts better than those with lower wing loading. I think the main factor isn't the speed of the wing spinning, it's the size of the wing. Very small wings, like helicopter rotors, don't provide the lift a relatively larger wing, such as on a Cessna, does. Turbulence that would be very uncomfortable to fly through in a Cessna is barely noticeable in a helicopter, and turbulence that is uncomfortable in a helicopter would be very heavy in a Cessna.
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