Heelicopter: Pioneering with Igor Sikorsky [Hardcover]

William E. Hunt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1999

This is a fascinating account of a great man and his determination to make a fabulous dream come true: the flight of the first helicopter. Heelicopter is an absorbing and easy-to-read overview of the mechanical advances and failures-encountered before the first successful flight-that explain this historical, world-wide important achievement.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Hunt joined the advanced design staff of the Sikorsky Engineering Department in 1939 and became a member of the original Sikorsky group working on the original experimental helicopter. Now retired from aeronautical engineering, he lives in Florida.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 230 pages
• Publisher: Swan Hill Press; illustrated edition edition (July 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853107689
• ISBN-13: 978-1853107689
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,443,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Igor Sikorsky and Hunt, January 31, 2000

By 

Marcio A.V. Pinheiro - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heelicopter: Pioneering with Igor Sikorsky (Hardcover)

If you really like helicopters you must have this book. You can read the incredible description of the creation of the vertical flight made by Hunt, that share with us his many years of working on Igor's team. The photos are very nice and you can't stop before the last page.

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent though sometimes a little confused, September 5, 2011

By 

JPH (Saratoga, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heelicopter: Pioneering with Igor Sikorsky (Hardcover)

As a member of the Sikorsky engineering team, Hunt had first-hand experience in the development of the first successful single-rotor/tail rotor helicopters. However, he makes a few claims that to those familar with the history of rotary-wing development leave one wondering where he came up with some of his statements.

It is no secret that the Sikorsky team were not rotary-wing aircraft experts when they started their development work. Their great advantage included a wealth of successful aircraft engineering experience, first-rate management, and the resources of a major corporation. Despite Igor's dabbling with helicopters in the early 1900s, these experiments contributed nothing to the development of rotary-wing aircraft. When he returned to rotary-wing aircraft development in the mid 1930s, the Autogiro was well established and provided the engineering foundation for all rotary-wing development thereafter. This included rotor design, stressing, construction, and control as is readily apparent from review of the relevant literature of the period.

Where Hunt's book falls apart is when he discusses the development of the Sikorsky helicopter rotor control system. He seems to imply that little was understood in this field and the Sikorsky team developed the first such successful mechanism from scratch. This makes no sense since it is a fact that Sikorsky licensed patented technology from the Autogiro Company of America to produce a fully practical aircraft, particularly with regard to rotor control systems. This is easily verifiable from the plate referencing licensed Autogiro Company of America patents affixed to every production Sikorsky R-4, R-5, and R-6.

Other than such misstatements, obvious to those knowledgeable about rotary-wing aircraft history, this book provides a wealth of information on the early Sikorsky helicopters and is well worth acquiring.