Basically just don't hit the propellers. I don't remember if the small rear blade also kills you, but the top one definitely does, so you have to jump just high enough to stand on the platform but not high enough to hit that. Also be careful when you using attacks that may launch you in the air (eg grenade explosions or Broden's dash) as these can also launch you into the blade and kill you.

As for height just use either tower or wait for it to come down the level of the checkpoint. Let me know if any of this doesn't make sense (or wasn't what you were asking about).