Sergei Sikorsky was one of the guest speakers at the annual European Helicopter Operators Committee (EHOC) conference in Budapest this weekend. Here is a picture of him and his wife Elena in deep conversation with Rolf Schneider of Wiking Helikopters. It was taken at the Fine Arts Museum at a reception given by Sikorsky Helicopters.
All enjoyed the presentation which was given unscripted; judging by its sheer professionalism, it was the same one given at the RAeS and attended by Graviman - not bad for an 84 year old (Sergei that is not Graviman). I was particularly impressed at one part in the lecture when he informed us that one of Igor's benefactors in the early days was no other than Rachmaninoff (surely more than a brief encounter).
Sergei spent a long weekend with us so most had the opportunity to further discuss Igor's 'early years' at leisure in the evenings. On the last night his reveries were briefly interrupted by a private 15 minute aerobatics display (courtesy of the venue owner - a repeat of one given for his 50th birthday earlier in the month) flown by the Hungarian 'former' world champion. Until I witnessed it with my own eyes, I was not aware that an aeroplane could fly sideways - even Sergei had a smile on his face.
Jim