The Ukrainian aircraft designer whose planes were the first in history to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

We continue to tell the story of Ukrainian engineers who have made a major contribution to the development of the world's technology.

Igor Sikorsky was born in April 1889 in Kiev, but emigrated to the USA in 1919

In America Sikorsky created 17 basic types of aircraft and 18 helicopters.

His famous four-engine plane, the "Ilya Muromets", became a world record-holder in payload capacity and was voted the best aircraft of World War I.

He was the first to design an amphibious helicopter with retractable landing gear and "flying cranes".

Sikorsky's helicopters were used by US armed forces. The Ukrainian engineer's planes were the first in history to cross the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.

All US presidents, starting with Dwight Eisenhower, have been flying on Sikorsky-designed helicopters.