The God Machine : From Boomerangs to Black Hawks: The Story of the Helicopter

From transforming the ways of war to offering godlike views of inaccessible spots, revolutionizing rescues worldwide, and providing some of our most-watched TV moments—including the cloud of newscopters that trailed O. J. Simpson’s Bronco—the helicopter is far more capable than early inventors expected. Now James Chiles profiles the many __helicoptrians__ who contributed to the development of this amazing machine, and pays tribute to the selfless heroism of pilots and crews. A virtual flying lesson and scientific adventure tale, __The God Machine__ is more than the history of an invention; it is a journey into the minds of imaginative thinkers and a fascinating look at the ways they changed our world. From transforming the ways of war to offering godlike views of inaccessible spots, revolutionizing rescues worldwide, and providing some of our most-watched TV moments--including the cloud of newscopters that trailed O. J. Simpson's Bronco--the helicopter is far more capable than early inventors expected. Now James Chiles profiles the many helicoptrians who contributed to the development of this amazing machine, and pays tribute to the selfless heroism of pilots and crews. A virtual flying lesson and scientific adventure tale, The God Machine is more than the history of an invention; it is a journey into the minds of imaginative thinkers and a fascinating look at the ways they changed our world.From the Trade Paperback edition. From transforming the ways of war to offering godlike views of inaccessible spots, revolutionizing rescues worldwide, and providing some of our most-watched TV moments--including the cloud of newscopters that trailed O. J. Simpson's Bronco--the helicopter is far more capable than early inventors expected. Now James Chiles profiles the many helicoptrians who contributed to the development of this amazing machine, and pays tribute to the selfless heroism of pilots and crews. A virtual flying lesson and scientific adventure tale, The God Machine is more than the history of an invention; it is a journey into the minds of imaginative thinkers and a fascinating look at the ways they changed our world. From the Trade Paperback edition History has known few more inventive minds than those responsible for the helicopter, mankind's most versatile flying machine. From the aerodynamic artistry of Leonardo da Vinci, through the futuristic tales of Jules Verne, to the prototypes built by the horde of rotationally obsessed enthusiasts who followed, here is the definitive story of a modern icon. Proposing that humans could hover in the air by hanging a fuselage beneath large spinning blades requires a substantial leap of the imagination--not to mention a pile of precision gadgetry. This book bears witness to the challenge of turning the earliest "rotating wing" aircraft into the helicopters of today.--From publisher description