The first rotor blade complete except end closures. Not saying this is 100% the correct way to make a rotor blade, I have not built a rotor blade before but it is the way I have chosen and the results are to be established.

Making the rotor blades is certainly one of the more challenging aspects of building a helicopter. If you can do that successfully chances are the rest of it will be achievable. There is a huge amount of time in making the blades and the materials certainly add up.

Airfoil NACA 0012
Chord 4.75"
Blade weight 2.6kg
Rotor diameter 4.3m
Tip speed 453 mph
Centripetal force 2.7 tonnes
Blade yield strength 13.4 tonnes
Blade fatigue strength 5.2 tonnes
Rotor solidity 0.07 :1
Disc loading 1.625lbs/ft2
Rotor rpm 900 (now reduced to 750rpm)

My day job is welding on classic cars, if anybody is interested my new channel is:
   / @bensclassicbodywork