Rotary engines are wankel engines, which are only used by Mazda in their cars. If the cylinders are arranged radially it’s called a radial engine.
IIRC, one of the very few helicopters to have a radial motor was the Sikorsky S-58, which saw action in the Vietnam War. But generally pretty much all helicopters have turbines.
Yup, I know, it doesnt check out at all, you wouldn’t put a rotary on a helicoptor. But “rotary” engines were indeed used on aircraft, since they also refer to a radial cylinder configuration where the engine housing moves and the axis is fixed. So I think it’s likely they were referring to the common WWI plane engine. I didnt think of a wankel at all till you mentioned it!
Interestingly enough, modern wankel engines are also sold for helicopters.
I’m a little confused, aren’t they just referring to aircraft rotary engines with the cylinders arranged radially? Or what’s the triggering part?
Rotors are lifting blades for helicopters. They’re mounted to the rotary engine.
In any modern helicopter, the rotors are mounted to a turbo-prop engine - which is a turbine, not a rotary engine.
Turboshaft*
Rotary engines were never used for helicopters AFAIK. Maybe there are some niche designs
Rotary engines are wankel engines, which are only used by Mazda in their cars. If the cylinders are arranged radially it’s called a radial engine. IIRC, one of the very few helicopters to have a radial motor was the Sikorsky S-58, which saw action in the Vietnam War. But generally pretty much all helicopters have turbines.
Yup, I know, it doesnt check out at all, you wouldn’t put a rotary on a helicoptor. But “rotary” engines were indeed used on aircraft, since they also refer to a radial cylinder configuration where the engine housing moves and the axis is fixed. So I think it’s likely they were referring to the common WWI plane engine. I didnt think of a wankel at all till you mentioned it! Interestingly enough, modern wankel engines are also sold for helicopters.
Aren’t helicopters sometimes called rotary winged aircraft?