What does pulling back on the cyclic stick do to the helicopter's performance?

Pulling back on the cyclic stick in a helicopter causes the rotor blades to change pitch, increasing lift and allowing the helicopter to ascend. This maneuver generally results in a decrease in forward speed as the aircraft begins to climb. This relationship between lift and forward speed is fundamental in helicopter flight dynamics, as increasing lift typically requires some sacrifice in speed.

When the cyclic is pulled back, it essentially tilts the rotor disk. The change in rotor blade angle leads to more efficient lift generation, enabling the helicopter to rise in altitude. However, because the aircraft is tilting backwards to gain lift, the helicopter tends to lose some of its forward momentum or speed. Thus, the action of pulling back on the cyclic effectively results in a performance characteristic that decreases speed while increasing altitude, which is consistent with the dynamics of helicopter flight.