When did helicopters first fly?

The first successful powered helicopter flight occurred on June 26, 1939, when the German engineer Heinrich Focke flew the Focke-Wulf Fw 61. However, earlier concepts and prototypes, such as the 1907 design by Paul Cornu, had been tested without achieving sustained flight. The development of helicopters advanced significantly during and after World War II, leading to the designs and technologies used today.