au·to·gy·ro (ô'tō-jī'rō) n. Variant of autogiro. |
autogyro
rotary-wingrotary-wing aircraft, superseded after World War II by the more efficient helicopter. It employed a propeller for forward motion and a freely rotating, unmotorized rotor for lift. In searching for an aircraft that could be slowed down in flight and landed vertically, experimenters built many prototypes that were difficult to control in flight
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