Autorotation in action: https://www.y→→How "Dick" came to be short for 'Richard': https://youtu.be/BH1NAwwKtcg?list=PLR0XuDegDqP2Acy6g9Ta7hzC0Rr3RDS6q Never run out of things to say at the water cooler with TodayIFoundOut! Brand new videos 7 days a week! More from TodayIFoundOut Green Coca-Cola... and 5 other everyday myths https://youtu.be/EmUo-TEP2FU?list=PLR0XuDegDqP1IHZBUZvKkPwkTr6Gr0OBO The Coming Banana Apocalypse https://youtu.be/pCpmtI6oDLM?list=PLR0XuDegDqP01NqW8KRpOy-_y2m6S2VEF In this video: In fact, you have a better chance at surviving in a helicopter when the engine fails than you do in an airplane. Helicopters are designed specifically to allow pilots to have a reasonable chance of landing them safely in the case where the engine stops working during flight, often with no damage at all. They accomplish this via autorotation of the main rotor blades. Want the text version?: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/05/helicopters-wont-just-fall-like-a-rock-if-the-engine-dies-they-usually-can-be-landed-safely-this-way/ Sources: http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/media/faa-h-8083-21.pdf http://helicopterflight.net/autorotation.htm http://books.google.com.au/books?id=CSmVLrllpKUC&pg=PA151&lpg=PA151&dq=Rotor+%26+Wing+International+Jean+Boulet+autorotation&source=bl&ots=uasuGIHjiL&sig=hjs--XtozWD-hr2bpfHUE0fC7nc&hl=en&ei=b_raS6-LIcqOkQXfoNV8&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Rotor%20%26%20Wing%20International%20Jean%20Boulet%20autorotation&f=false http://www.copters.com/aero/autorotation.html http://avstop.com/feb_2011/jean_boulet_former_record_breaker_and_test_pilot_dies_at_age_90.htm http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Ponton_d%27Am%C3%A9court http://www.eurocopter.com/site/en/ref/1969:-SA315_465-134.html