Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has announced the passing of Sergei I. Sikorsky on 18 September at the age of 100. The company extended its condolences to his wife Elena, remembering him as a proud military veteran, aviation pioneer and lifelong ambassador for helicopters.

Sergei Sikorsky served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II, assigned to the Helicopter Development Unit, before joining Sikorsky in 1951 in international marketing and sales. The son of aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky, inventor of the first practical helicopter, Sergei helped expand the company’s global reach and oversaw key programmes including co-production projects during the Black Hawk era.

He enjoyed a distinguished 41-year career, retiring in 1992 but continuing to serve as a goodwill ambassador for the company at trade shows and aviation events. In 2019, Sikorsky dedicated the Sergei I. Sikorsky Flight Center in Stratford, Connecticut, in his honour—a recognition he described as his “single greatest honor.”

“Sergei will be greatly missed,” said Rich Benton, Sikorsky vice president and general manager. “He was a link to the golden age of aviation who meant so much to the success of our business.”

Sergei Sikorsky leaves behind an enduring legacy that spans generations, touching employees, engineers, communities and countless lives saved by helicopters around the world.