WHY MEN FLY AIRPLANES

Army Huey pilot with over 3000 hours, more than 1500 of those as an instructor pilot. Helicopters do indeed "glide" and can normally be landed safely in an emergency. They just do not have the same glide ratio (i.e. ground distance based on altitude) as most fixed wing aircraft. However, have the transmission seize at altitude or lose a portion of the tail rotor and/or tail boom and life will indeed get interesting (and probably very short).