13 Largest Helicopter in the World

Largest Helicopter in the World
Image Credit: Alan Wilson / Wikimedia

Do you want to know about the Largest Helicopter in the world? Then, read this article. It Is for you.

Whether you’ve ever flown in a helicopter or not, it’s a sort of aircraft that most people are unfamiliar with.

Additionally, Helicopters are dependable and vital to hospitals, law enforcement agencies, the Navy, and the military. 

Furthermore, Military helicopters are particularly fascinating since they come in many different shapes and sizes, and learning about them is much easier than you imagine.  

In addition, most military helicopters are designed to transport soldiers or equipment between places, so they are huge.

In addition, they’re made to last and are built to last a long time, and you’d be shocked how long many of them have been around. 

Furthermore, when you read that a helicopter is enormous, there are various possibilities. Some helicopters have a large cargo capacity, whereas others have a large size.  

Others are enormous in terms of function or purpose. Still, if you’re interested in large-scale helicopters that can transport various equipment and military people, these are the largest helicopters in the world right now. 

1. Sikorsky CH-53 King Stallion

The King Stallion is an upgraded version of the CH-53E Super Stallion, once the world’s largest and most powerful helicopter.

Additionally, the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion is the military’s most influential and heaviest helicopter today, and it was initially designed to satisfy the needs of the United States Marine Corps.  

However, it can carry 37 personnel and has a payload capacity of about 16 tons. Furthermore, the King Stallion was designed to transport vehicles, supplies, and troops from ships to the shoreline.

Still, it can also carry heavy weapons, a variety of vehicle types, an LAV-25 armored vehicle, and up to 55 soldiers if centerline seats are placed. 

2. Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey

The Bell Boeing is also one of the largest helicopters in the world. The Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all operate this huge helicopter, which combines the speed of a fixed-wing turboprop jet with the vertical lift capabilities of a standard helicopter.  

It is more of a tiltrotor than a helicopter, yet it serves many of the same functions.

Furthermore, Osprey can carry 24 troops and about 19,800 pounds internally and approximately 15,000 pounds externally.

In addition, the aircraft can fly at twice the speed of ordinary utility helicopters. 

3. Eurocopter EC 725

The EC 725, sometimes known as the Super Cougar, was created to improve French search-and-rescue missions.

It flew for the first time in 2000 and was handed over to the French Air Force in 2005.  

In addition, the EC 725 has an internal payload of 12,500 pounds and an external payload of over 9,900 pounds.

It can also be used to move merchandise and personnel and evacuate injured.  

Furthermore, the EC 725 can be equipped with armor plating in warfare. It is a long-range tactical transport helicopter capable of transporting 28 personnel. 

4. Halo –(Mi-26)

The Mi-26, sometimes known as Halo, is the world’s largest production helicopter. Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant designed and manufactured this twin-turbine heavy-lift helicopter.  

Furthermore, the Halo has been sold to 20 countries worldwide since its debut at the Paris Air Show in 1981.

In addition, the aircraft can lift up to 56,000kg and is offered in 13 variations for both military and commercial duties.  

Additionally, the Halo has a 12m long and 3.3m wide cargo bay that can contain two combat vehicles weighing up to 9,988kg, similar to that of a domestic C-130 transport aircraft.

There is enough room inside for 80 combat-ready men or 60 stretchers. Four crew members can work on the flight deck: the pilot, copilot, flight engineer, and navigator. 

5. AugustaWestland AW101

Next on our list of the largest helicopters globally is the AugustaWestland Aw101.

The SW101 is a medium-lift helicopter that can accommodate 26 passengers and cargo carried internally or under-slung.  

It is a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the UK and Augusta in Italy.

Furthermore, the Royal Air Force has a variant that can carry 45 people and is used for anti-submarine warfare, searches, and rescue missions.  

One of the world’s largest helicopters has also served in active conflict zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Additionally, Nine AW101 helicopters, when laid end-to-end, equal the length of the Russian Navy’s Typhoon Class submarine, the world’s largest submarine. 

6. NH Industries NH90

The NH90 is a twin-engined, multi-role military helicopter developed by Airbus, Leonardo, and Fokker. It is the first production helicopter to fly entirely with fly-by-wire flight controls.  

Furthermore, it has a service ceiling of 6,000 meters and can operate in battlefield and naval environments. It can carry 20 seated troops or 12 medevac stretchers. 

7. Mil Mi-10 (Harke)

MiL Mi is one of the largest Helicopters in the world right now. NATO codename: Harke is a flying crane version of the Mil Mi-6 helicopter produced in Russia by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. Additionally, the Mi-10 entered service in 1962.  

Many of the helicopter’s components and systems, including the engines, transmission, and rotor system, were kept.

Furthermore, the Mi-10 can taxi over large loads because of its compact fuselage and four tall undercarriage legs.  

The helicopter can carry up to 28 passengers and has a maximum takeoff weight of 43,700kg (96,340lb).

The Mi-10 is powered by two Soloviev D-25V turboshaft engines, each with a 4,100kW maximum output (5,500hp). 

8. Boeing CH-47F Chinook

The CH-47F Chinook made its first flight in 1961 and was fully operational the following year.

About 1,200 of these helicopters have been constructed, and they have been exported to countries worldwide.  

Additionally, the modernized Chinook helicopters, primarily employed by the US Army, are expected to remain in service until 2060.

Furthermore, the CH-47F Chinook can transport troops, supplies, and numerous warfare equipment.  

It’s also been utilized for parachute drops, medical evacuations, aircraft recovery, and search-and-rescue operations.

However, as you can see, it’s not just a gigantic plane but also a highly functional one. 

9. Mil Mi 38

Mil Moscow Helicopters Plant also produced the Mi-38, a multirole helicopter that may be utilized for cargo and passenger transport, search-and-rescue missions, offshore missions, and air ambulance services.

Its rugged construction and adaptable layout allow it to operate in various maritime, tropical, and frigid conditions.  

Furthermore, the Mi-38’s fuselage is made of high-strength composite materials. With a total area of 16m2, the cabin is spacious and unobstructed.

It can transport 30 passengers and 16 stretchers when utilized in a hospital. Two pilots can be accommodated on the flight deck. In cargo mode, the helicopter can be flown by a single pilot. 

10. Change Z-18

Next on our list of the largest helicopters globally is the change Z-18. The Changhe Z-18, China’s most prominent military helicopter, will eventually replace the previous Z-8 helicopters.

The Z-18 offers a lot of internal space and excellent performance at high temperatures and altitudes thanks to more powerful engines and a revised fuselage.  

Furthermore, the creator of the helicopter uses titanium and composite materials to create an extremely durable product.

Meanwhile, the Z-18 has a seating capacity of over 30 passengers and set a world record by flying around Mt. Everest at nearly 30,000 feet.  

This was the first time a big helicopter had flown that high, and it was no mean feat.

Changhe Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) also designed it, known as the White Heron in China. However, it is a relatively recent military transport helicopter type

11. Mil Mi-8

The Mil Mi-8 helicopter, currently in use in over 60 countries, can carry 24 personnel with a payload of more than 6,600 externally and 8,800 pounds inside.  

Additionally, the Mi-8 helicopter has been produced in large numbers since the early 1960s.

The export version is the Mi-17, and numerous more variations are still manufactured today.

This aircraft can perform a wide range of tasks because of its many modifications.  

The services provided include photo-reconnaissance, gasoline supply to the front lines, VIP transport, standard reconnaissance, mine-clearing and laying, and artillery fire correction.

Furthermore, the Mi-8 is also available in an armed form with a trainable machine gun, anti-tank-guided missiles, bombs, and rockets. 

12. Avicopter AC313

The Avicopter AC313 is China’s largest civilian helicopter ever manufactured. The aircraft is based on the Harbin Z-8 helicopter, a derivative of the Aerospatiale Super Frelon.  

Furthermore, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) gave the Avicopter AC313 a type certificate in January 2012e.

SAR, marine surveillance, firefighting, offshore oil and gas support, cargo transport, and medical evacuation missions are all possible with the Avicopter AC313 helicopter.  

Additionally, after the Sikorsky S-70C Black Hawk, the AC313 is the second rotorcraft capable of operating in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Three Pratt & Whitney PT6B-67A engines power the AC313’s powerplant. 

13. CH-46 Sea Knight

CH-46 Sea Knight
by Archives Branch, USMC History Division is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Last on our list of the largest helicopters globally is the CH-46 Sea Knight.

The CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift twin-turbine tandem-rotor transport helicopter developed by the American manufacturer Vertol.

Following Boeing’s acquisition of Vertol in 1960, the Sea Knight was added to the company’s crown.  

1961, the US Marine Corps won a design competition for a medium assault transport helicopter, and the CH-46A was born.

Additionally, the BV-107 II civilian version of the helicopter is also available. In 1965, the first CH-64A helicopter was deployed during the Vietnam War. 

Furthermore, the two General Electric T-58-GE-16 turboshaft engines total 1,400kW (1,870shp). The chopper is 13.92 meters long with a 16-meter rotor diameter. It can take off with a maximum weight of 11,000kg (24,300lb).

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