Aircraft that do not rely on a fixed wing for lift: lighter-than-air craft such as airships and dirigibles that rely on buoyant gas, and rotorcraft such as the helicopter that rely on a powered rotor. The two lift mechanisms are grouped together here because transport's current holdings in each are few; a future wave may split them once either grows large enough to warrant it. Belongs here: airships, dirigibles and helicopters. Does not belong here: fixed-wing aircraft of any kind, including seaplanes.
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Sources
1. Wikipedia: Henri Giffard
WikipediaHenri Giffard, lead section, 1852 dirigible sentenceQuote, Henri Giffard, lead section, 1852 dirigible sentence
In 1852 he invented the steam injector and the powered Giffard dirigible airship.
2. Wikipedia: Helicopter
WikipediaHelicopter, lead section, Focke-Wulf Fw 61 sentenceQuote, Helicopter, lead section, Focke-Wulf Fw 61 sentence
The Focke-Wulf Fw 61 was the first successful, practical, and fully controllable helicopter in 1936, while in 1942, the Sikorsky R-4 became the first helicopter to reach full-scale production.
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