Photos: A century of helicopters

Even as work goes on in the military-industrial complex, there are plenty of commercial enterprises looking to sell helicopters to private citizens for recreational and corporate use. One such company is Rotorway International, of Chandler, Ariz., which unveiled its A600 Talon this summer at the AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wis.. The two-seater can do long-distance cruises at 100 miles per hour--with the doors off, the company says--and can carry a "useful load" of 535 pounds, including 100 pounds in the luggage compartment.