Remembering Our History As We Look to the Future By Mike Hirschberg, Executive Director s AHS International Airport event, however, was celebrates its 70th year the last ceremony for the Aof working to advance AIAA Historic Aerospace the state of the art of vertical Sites Program, which has flight technology, we can look now been discontinued. back at an inspiring heritage of Consequently, we are accomplishments by industry, pleased to announce the academia and government – a AHS Vertical Flight Heritage proud legacy that we need to Site Recognition Program to preserve and recognize, and “recognize and preserve build upon for the future of noteworthy and significant vertical flight. contributions made in both On September 28, 2013, the the theory and practice of birthplace of the first and other VTOL successful helicopter in aircraft technology.” AHS America – what is now known hopes to promote the rich as the Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial history of the international Airport in Bridgeport, vertical flight community to – was recognized the public through this as a Historic Aerospace Site. program. Please go to This commemoration by the www.vtol.org/heritage for American Institute of and military aircraft. The follow-on XR-5 more information. Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) was and XR-6 were also designed As our first heritage site to be supported and co-sponsored by AHS here, although they were built and flown recognized, AHS will be holding a International. after the company moved to its current ceremony at Franklin Institute in Between 1938 and 1943, the airport Bridgeport plant location. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – the site of the (then known as the Bridgeport Municipal It should also be noted that just a few first international meeting on rotary-wing Airport) and the adjacent Vought-Sikorsky weeks after received the aircraft. The First Rotating Wing Aircraft aircraft plant were the site of the first production contract for the first Meeting was held by the Philadelphia development of the first practical American helicopter, the XR-4, the Chapter of the Institute of Aeronautical helicopters flown in the United States. American Helicopter Society was also Sciences (IAS, the forerunner of AIAA) at There, and his team formed, with the founding meeting held the Franklin Institute on October 27-29, pioneered the VS-300 helicopter, which at the Stratford High School in February 1938 and indirectly led to the foundation made its first hover on September 14, 1943. AHS was born with the American of AHS less than five years later. 1939. The VS-300 was developed into the helicopter industry and remains a central AHS – with the American Helicopter XR-4, which was also completed, flown part of the global helicopter technical Museum and Education Center, AIAA, and and tested there; the first flight was on community today. several other organizations – is hosting a January 14, 1942. The XR-4 was the first special event marking the 75th helicopter accepted by the U.S. military he ceremony at Sikorsky Airport anniversary of this historic gathering on and the first helicopter to be mass- featured comments by Dan Libertino, October 27, 2013. Like the original produced anywhere in the world. T Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives; meeting, this event will be focused on the These two adjacent sites witnessed the Nikolai Sikorsky (pictured), Igor Sikorsky’s future of vertical flight, and features design, construction, testing and public second son; Mark Hammond, Sikorsky speakers representing manufacturers, demonstration of both helicopters, Innovations; Dr. Ferdinand Grosveld, AIAA operators, regulators, legislators and including the first world helicopter Board of Directors; and Stephen Ford, innovators. A special ceremony will install performance record set in the United acting manager of the airport. the first AHS Vertical Flight Heritage Site States. The development of these two This recognition was one of several commemorative plaque in the Franklin aircraft sparked a revolution in vertical flight historic sites that AIAA has Institute’s Aviation Hall, where it all began. aeronautical design, as they established recognized as a result of AHS support, AHS International, as the world’s the conventional configuration of including College Park Airport, Maryland; premier professional vertical flight helicopters with a single main rotor and NASA Ames, California; Dunsfold technical society, remembers and honors single auxiliary anti-torque tail rotor. They Aerodrome, UK; Getafe Air Base, Spain; our history as we look to an even demonstrated that helicopters were not Bremen Airport, Germany; and Pitcairn more exciting future. only practical, but were also viable civil Field, Pennsylvania. The recent Sikorsky

4 VERTIFLITE November/December 2013