Crews gather to mark the 'copter’s 100th anniversary

The 'Top Guns' of the helicopter world have been battling it out in a competition in the Moscow region, testing their skills, It's the 100th anniversary of the first rotary-wing flight.

In 100 years helicopters have come a long way. They are no longer just the workhorses of the military.

Helicopter flying competitions are springing up all over the world, and in Russia, too. Twenty crews gathered near Moscow for the annual Mil’ Cup. Here, during the flying programme two crews go head-to-head.

“First time we started the parallel competition a year ago and it has been gladly supported in Europe and across the world by pilots and organisers. And now everyone is starting to switch over to this system,” Mikhail Kozachkov, an organiser, says.

Georgina and Gill, who run their own helicopter magazine, decided to come to the tournament to let their addiction for the skies take off.

“As you see all the other teams take it so serious, and we don’t. And that is why they win! But we don’t mind,” they say.