Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky was a Russian-American pioneer of aviation who designed and flew the world's first multi-engine fixed-wing aircraft, developed the first of Pan American Airways' ocean-conquering flying boats in the 1930s, and spearheaded the development of helicopters using the most common configuration . Igor Sikorsky ranks just short of the Wright brothers themselves as an aviation pioneer, and although he is often claimed to be the first person to achieve volume helicopter production and other helicopter milestones, some evidence exists that this honour should go to Anton Flettner of Germany. Historic Video 12