How do helicopters fly?

A helicopter flies because its top blades spin. They push air down. The helicopter goes up. The tail blade helps it turn. It can hover in one spot.

A helicopter has big blades on top. They spin very fast. The blades push air down. Then the air pushes the helicopter up, so it can rise into the sky. It is a bit like when you splash water down with your hand and your hand feels pushed up. To go forward or sideways, the helicopter leans a little and pushes air that way.

A helicopter flies because its rotor blades act like spinning wings. As they whirl, their shape pushes air downward and makes lift, an upward push that holds the helicopter in the air. The pilot can tilt the rotor to move forward, backward, or sideways. A tail rotor keeps the body from spinning the other way. Fun fact: some helicopters can hover in one place, so they can land on tiny spots where airplanes cannot.