Helicopter models and identification In identifying helicopters during flight it is helpful to know that when viewed from below, the rotor of a French, Russian, or Soviet designed helicopter rotates counter-clockwise, whilst that of a helicopter built in Italy, the UK or the USA rotates clockwise. Some companies, notably Schweizer Aircraft Corporation in the USA, are developing remotely-controlled variants of light helicopters for use in future battlefields. Rotomotion is selling a line of small (less than 50 kg) rotorcraft UAVs, including an all electric helicopter. Hybrid types that combine features of helicopters and fixed wing designs include the gyrodyne such as the experimental Fairey Rotodyne of the 1950s, the compund helicopter (Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne), and the tiltrotor (Bell-Boeing Osprey. The latter is on order by the U.S. Marine Corps and will be the first mass produced tilt-rotor aircraft to enter service. A helicopter should not be mistaken for an autogyro, which is a predecessor of the helicopter, that gains lift from an unpowered rotor. Some common nicknames for helicopters are "copter", "chopper", "whirlybird", "windmill", "helo" (common U.S. Navy usage) or "paraffin Budgie" (the latter term being mostly used in the UK offshore oil industry). Source: Wikipedia / posted by Flyboy