Igor Sikorsky accompanied his father to Germany and through conversations with his father, became interested in natural sciences. After returning home, Sikorsky began to experiment with model flying machines, and by age 12, he had made a small rubber band-powered helicopter. Sikorsky began studying at the Saint Petersburg Maritime Cadet Corps, in 1903, at the age of 14. In 1906, he determined that his future lay in engineering, so he resigned from the academy, despite his satisfactory standing, and left the Russian Empire to study in Paris. He returned to the Russian Empire in 1907, enrolling at the Mechanical College of the
Sikorsky S-3 Sikorsky S-3 The Sikorsky S-3 was an early Russian single seat biplane design by Igor Sikorsky. Work on the machine started in July 1910 and was completed in late November. The S-3 was a larger improved version of the S-2 with a more powerful Anzani three-cylinder engine. The main wings were manufactured in a more uniform manner with the ribs held to a closer tolerance and the fabric covering was of better quality. Other refinements included larger ailerons and faster responding flight control surfaces. The S-3 exhibited performance superior to the S-2 and Sikorsky made a dozen successful flights starting