The inventor who conquered the skies of America: the journey of aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky.

The name Igor Sikorsky should be known by every Ukrainian. He is the person who brought fame to our country worldwide with his brilliant inventions in aviation.

Igor Sikorsky was born in Kyiv on May 25, 1889, into the family of Ivan Sikorsky, a professor at Kyiv University. From a young age, he was fascinated by aviation, reading Jules Verne's books and sketching his own aircraft models.

Sikorsky gained his initial engineering knowledge at the St. Petersburg Naval Engineering School and then continued his studies at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.

Engineering Talent

As early as 1908, Sikorsky began his first experiments with helicopters. In 1910, he built his first helicopter, and in 1911, he created his first airplane of his own design. These aircraft demonstrated excellent results in tests and earned Sikorsky recognition as a talented aircraft designer. With the onset of World War I, Sikorsky moved to Russia, where he worked at the Russian-Baltic Wagon Factory. Here, he developed a series of heavy bombers named "Ilya Muromets," which became the world's first multi-engine airplanes.

Emigration and Global Recognition

After the October Revolution of 1917, Sikorsky emigrated to the USA, where he founded his own aviation company, Sikorsky Aircraft. It was here that he fully realized his engineering talent.

Sikorsky designed and launched into mass production new helicopters that quickly gained popularity worldwide. Sikorsky's helicopters were used in military, civil, and rescue operations. He became America's true "Mr. Helicopter," and his company emerged as one of the leading helicopter manufacturers in the world.

Ukrainian by Origin, Russian by Upbringing?

Igor Sikorsky always emphasized his roots, but his identity was complex. "I am Ukrainian by origin," Sikorsky wrote. "My grandfather and great-grandfather were priests in the Kyiv province." He even stressed that he had "pure Ukrainian lineage." However, in the same letter, Sikorsky added that he considered himself Russian, as Ukraine was part of Russia.

Such views likely stemmed from the influence of his father, Ivan Sikorsky. Although in his youth Ivan was captivated by the Ukrainian idea and read the Ukrainian-language magazine "Osnova," he later became a proponent of imperial views and a member of a Russian nationalist club. He believed that Ukrainians and Russians were one people.

Despite this, his father provided Igor with an excellent education and upbringing. Their home had a vast library, and his father encouraged his son's interest in science and technology. It is known that Ivan Sikorsky, being a psychiatrist, diligently observed his children's development and created conditions for their comprehensive growth.

Even while living in exile, Sikorsky did not forget his homeland. He supported Ukrainian organizations and assisted Ukrainian emigrants. Igor Sikorsky passed away on October 26, 1972, at the age of 83. His name remains forever in the history of global aviation, and his inventions continue to serve humanity.

Earlier, "Telegraph" reported on the history of balloon flights in the 18th century. These were the first Ukrainian aeronauts.