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Debrief: Igor Sikorsky III

Honoring his grandfather’s legacy

It may come as a surprise to discover the grandson of the designer of the helicopter deep in the North Maine Woods running a hunting and fishing lodge accessible only by seaplane. But like his namesake grandfather, who made the helicopter viable, the younger Igor Sikorsky is a maverick, carving a larger-than-life world on the shores of one of Maine’s largest lakes, hundreds of miles from civilization. The other surprise is that the younger Sikorsky had only once flown in a helicopter—and did not get his pilot certificate until he was 30. But aviation flows freely in his blood, and the third-generation Sikorsky honors his grandfather with an event each July, sharing stories, historic photographs, and more for those who make the trek to his Bradford Camps on Muskegon Lake.
July Debrief
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Who: Igor Sikorsky III
Hours: 1,700 (300 on wheels, 1,400 on floats)
Ratings: Commercial pilot single-engine land and sea
Aircraft: 180-horsepower 1968 Cessna 172 with Baumann floats, Sportsman STOL kit
Sikorsky Weekend takes place July 15 through 17, 2016.

Started in aviation… It took a looming 30-year birthday to make me grow up and live the life I wanted! I had the epiphany in my car one afternoon: Whoa, I am getting old, and I don’t know how to fly yet! and literally I was at the airport within the half-hour, making an appointment for my first lesson.

Early challenges… Not really any, other than financial limitations. We were saving every penny for Bradford Camps Fishing Lodge in Maine, which we eventually bought. Even the early days at Bradford were thin, and I had to wait a few years to buy my airplane.

Hardest lessons… My crosswind landings were ugly for longer than I liked. It came down to simply keeping at it until it clicked. Learning to fly feet first.

Favorite aviation-related activity… Float flying, of course! I am a northern Maine commercial bush pilot, and it’s a great type of flying. Short hops, and every runway is different, even if it’s the same lake from hours before. Conditions change and it keeps you on your toes. Plus it’s a spectacular place to be. I will fly for weeks at a time without seeing a paved road.

Favorite airplane… I love my Cessna Skyhawk. It has many performance improvements, and it is happy flying its 960-pound useful load off all kinds of water. My grandfather’s favorite aircraft would have been his VS-300, the world’s first practical helicopter he designed and first flew in 1939. That aircraft was the culmination of his life’s work and passion.

Advice for students…Do it. Make it a hobby, or make it a career. It’s an itch that only flying will scratch.

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