7 Igor Sikorsky 7industry and air commerce but primarily as an effective
device for rescue and relief of human beings caught in
natural disasters, such as fire, flood, or famine. He esti-
mated that more than 50,000 lives had been saved by
helicopters.
Igor Sikorsky’s active professional life covered virtually
the entire span of practical flight by man, from the Wright
brothers to space exploration. Few in aviation can claim
such a span of personal participation, or personal contri-
bution with such a wide range of innovative ideas. He only
complained that, of all his past predictions, those that he
lived to regret were on the “too conservative” side.
Sikorsky retired as engineering manager for his com-
pany in 1957 but remained active as a consultant until his
death. In addition to his wife (married in 1924), he left one
daughter and four sons. Sikorsky received many honorary
doctorates in science and engineering, honorary fellow-
ships in leading scientific and technical societies in the
United States and Europe, and the highest medals and
awards in aviation, including the Cross of St. Vladimir
from Russia; the Sylvanus Albert Reed Award for 1942
from the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences in New York;
the United States Presidential Certificate of Merit in
1948; the Daniel Guggenheim Medal and Certificate for
1951; the Elmer A. Sperry Award for 1964; and the National
Defense Award in 1971.
Sikorsky’s Recollections and Thoughts of a Pioneer (1964)
reviews his own career and accomplishments and includes
his views on the future trends of aviation development.
The Story of the Winged-S: Late Developments and Recent
Photographs of the Helicopter, rev. ed. (1967), an autobiography,
includes a detailed account of his life and work through
1938, with supplementary chapters on his first helicopter
experiments of 1939 –40 and later work.