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Helicopters use spinning wings to create lift. The rotor blades on a helicopter are shaped like airplane wings. As their rotors spin, they create a difference in air pressure above and below the blades. Slower moving, higher pressure air under the blades pushes the helicopter up into the faster moving, lower pressure air on top.

So, helicopters can stay in one place; quickly spinning their rotor blades to generate lift. Airplanes, on the other hand, have to keep moving forward to create lift.