SKYCRANE: Igor Sikorsky's Last Vision (Library of Flight)

The Skycrane was the last creation of aircraft design pioneer Igor Sikorsky. The full Skycrane story, however, has never been told. It was a radical design that many thought would not be successful. This book, written by the person who was responsible for building the first S-64 Skycrane in 1961 and for supporting the Army and commercial programs as the Executive Vice President at Sikorsky Aircraft, is about the many people who helped Mr. Sikorsky's Skycrane become successful. Once it demonstrated its skills to rapidly and precisely move critical Army cargo in support of high priority combat operations in Vietnam, the Skycrane moved valuable timber from the remote forests of Oregon, helped build electric power lines in remote areas, and became critical to fighting forest fires. Forty-eight years after its first flight, Skycranes are currently saving lives, providing essential services, and earning profits on a daily basis, worldwide. These factors make for a great story.