I'm trying to understand an answer to a cryptic crossword that I've been trying to solve.  The clue is:

"Aircraft whirling, cheer pilot! (10)"

and apparently, the answer is "helicopter".

Could you explain this answer for me please?
The clue "Aircraft whirling, cheer pilot!" is a cryptic way of describing a helicopter, which is a type of aircraft that rotates its blades in a whirling motion. The word "cheer" is a homophone (a word that sounds the same as another word) for "hear", which is a reference to the sound that a helicopter makes. Putting it together, "hear" + "pilot" = "helicopter". So, "Aircraft whirling, cheer pilot!" is a cryptic way of describing the word "helicopter".