FAA AMT Airframe Practice Exam 2026 – All-in-One Study Guide to Master Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification!

In a helicopter in forward flight, cruise configuration, changing direction is accomplished by tilting the main rotor disk in the desired direction. This tilting action, known as cyclic control input, allows the pilot to change the helicopter's flight path by altering the main rotor's angle of attack as it rotates. By tilting the main rotor disk in the desired direction, the pilot can effectively change the direction of flight without significantly adjusting the speed of the main rotor or tail rotor thrust.

The other options are incorrect:

A. Changing the speed of the main rotor is not the primary method of changing direction in a helicopter. While main rotor speed is essential for flight control, altering the rotor speed is not how the helicopter primarily changes its direction.

C. While adjusting the tail rotor thrust helps control the helicopter's yaw or rotation about its vertical axis, it is not the main method used to change the helicopter's direction in forward flight.

D. Engine power adjustment is important for overall helicopter flight control and performance but is not the main method of changing direction during forward flight in a helicopter.