Page 7 - Helicopter Safety
P. 7
Petroleum Extension-The University of Texas at Austin
Development of
Commercial
Helicopters
he first successful helicopter designer was Igor Sikorsky, a Rus-
Tsian who immigrated to America and in 1923 founded his own
aviation design company. In 1931, Sikorsky patented the standard
design for a helicopter: a main rotor overhead and a smaller rotor on
the tail to keep the helicopter stable and upright. The Sikorsky XR-4
was the first helicopter in the world to enter into continuous produc-
tion. In 1942, the Sikorsky helicopter was delivered to the U.S. Army
Air Force for use in World War II (fig. 1). The helicopter proved its
usefulness in combat. It could hover, rise and descend vertically, fly
sideways and backwards.
Figure 1. Dr. Igor Sikorsky (left) and Orville Wright (right) with the Sikorsky
XR-4 in 1942—U.S. Air Force, Wright Patterson Air Force Base
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