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Igor Sikorsky Quotes

Aircraft designer

Igor Sikorsky, an aircraft designer born on May 25, 1889, and died on October 26, 1972. He is known as the pioneer of modern helicopter design and has had a profound impact on the aviation industry.

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All Aviation Flight Helicopters Airplane Flying Men Dream Flower Humans Ifs

Famous Igor Sikorsky Quotes

“This machine was a failure to the extent that it could not fly. In other respects it was a very important and necessary stepping stone.”

Important Stones Machines Flight Aviation Stepping Stones

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“The helicopter appeared so reluctant to fly forward that we even considered turning the pilot's seat around and letting it fly backward.”

Flight Seats Aviation Pilots Reluctant Helicopters

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind forward.”

Stills Moving Passion Individual Work Mankind Positive Remains Individuality Sparks

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“Aeronautics was neither an industry nor a science. It was a miracle.”

Industry Miracle Flying Flight Aviation Airplane Great Aviation Airplanes And Flying

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“The helicopter is probably the most versatile instrument ever invented by man. It approaches closer than any other to fulfillment of mankind's ancient dreams of the flying horse and the magic carpet.”

Men Dream Magic Mankind Approach Horse Instruments Ancient Flying Flight Fulfillment Aviation Carpet Helicopters Versatile

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“If you are in trouble anywhere in the world, an airplane can fly over and drop flowers, but a helicopter can land and save your life.”

Ifs World Life Funny Trouble Land Flower Humorous Flying Aviation Airplane Predictions Dropping Pioneers Landing Helicopters

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“Supersonic airplanes have carried men at more than 2,000 miles per hour and there are reasons to believe that this speed will be doubled by 1960 or so.”

Men Believe Reason Hours Speed Miles Aviation Airplane Predictions 1960s

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“If a man is in need of rescue, an airplane can come in and throw flowers on him, and that's just about all. But a direct lift aircraft could come in and save his life.”

Ifs Men Needs Flower Direct Lifts Airplane Rescue Aircraft

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“It would be right to state that, with the successful flight of the XR-4 in the summer of 1942, the helicopter became a reality in the United States.”

States Reality Would Be United United States Successful Summer Flight Helicopters

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“It is like a dream to feel the machine lift you gently up in the air, float smoothly over one spot.”

Feels Dream Air Machines Spots Lifts Floats Up In The Air

Book:Recollections and Thoughts of a Pioneer: Presented at the Wings Club on November 16, 1964, New York City

Source: Recollections and Thoughts of a Pioneer: Presented at the Wings Club on November 16, 1964, New York City

“It would be right to say that the helicopter's role in saving lives represents one of the most glorious pages in the history of human flight.”

Humans Would Be Roles Pages Flight Saving Glorious Helicopters Save A Life

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“Money lost-nothing lost, Health lost-little lost, Spirit lost-everything lost.”

Littles Spirit Lost Lost Everything

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“Our concerns sink into insignificance when compared with the eternal value of human personality - a potential child of God which is destined to triumph over lie, pain, and death. No one can take this sublime meaning of life away from us, and this is the one thing that matters.”

Humans Children Matter Pain Lying Values One Thing Personality Eternal Concern Triumph Meaning Of Life Sublime Destined Child Of God Things That Matter Insignificance Human Personality

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“According to recognized aero technical tests, the bumblebee cannot fly because of the shape and weight of his body in relation to the total wing area. The bumblebee doesn't know this, so he goes ahead and flies anyway.”

Knows Body Shapes Areas Tests Weight Relation Wings Bumblebees

Author:Igor Sikorsky

“At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation.”

Wells Poor Results Tests Chiefs Fortunate Aviation Pilots Engineering Engineers Eliminating

Author:Igor Sikorsky

About the Author

Born: May 25, 1889
Died: October 26, 1972
Known for: Aircraft designer
Quotes: 15

Books & Sources

Recollections and Thoughts of a Pioneer: Presented at the Wings Club on November 16, 1964, New York CityRelated source material

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