Helicopter Heli facts

While investigating facts about Helicopter Heli, I found out little known, but curios details like:

The two parts to the word “helicopter” are not “heli” and “copter”, but “helico” meaning spiral, and “pter” meaning one with wings, like pterodactyl.

The word helicopter doesn't come from heli+copter but helico+pter from the Greek helico meaning spiral and pteron meaning wing

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 9 of the best facts about Helicopter Heli I managed to collect.

1. The word helicopter is not split up into "heli" and "copter" but rather split into "helico" meaning spiral and "-pter" meaning one with wings

2. PanAm used to offer helicopter service from JFK to the roof of what is now the MetLife building. This ended when the landing gear failed during boarding, causing the heli to tilt to the side, slicing four people to death, before the rest of the blade fell to the streets and killed another

3. The "Heli-Torch" is a "specially equipped" helicopter "that sprays flames onto tinder below. The idea is to destroy dry vegetation in areas firefighters have trouble reaching, thus hindering the wildfire's expansion."

4. Monaco has an airline. Heli Air Monaco only has helicopters; the only regularly scheduled route is a flight to nearby Nice, France.

5. The the etymology of the word Helicopter does not come from 'heli' and 'copter', but from 'helico' (from the greek 'helix' for spiral), and 'pter' ('pteron' greek for wing, as in pterodactyl).

6. Although we separate it into "heli" and "copter", helicopter comes from "Heliko" or "Helix" (spiral) and "pter" or "ptero" (wing).

7. The word helicopter is a compound word NOT made from 'heli' and 'copter' as commonly believed, but rather ancient the Greek words of "helico" meaning 'spin' or 'spiral' and "pter" meaning 'that which flies' (like in pterodactyl).