Sikorsky's story is really fascinating to me. 4 years after immigrating from Russia he founded an aviation company in USA. And in 15 years he was already building airplanes and then first ever helicopter! (<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Igor_Sikorsky_300.jpg" rel="nofollow">https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Igor_Sik...</a>)<p>If he stayed in Russia the course of human history might have been very different ... if he was developing all that technology for the USSR... and not USA.<p>tell me about boot strapping!! :<p>"In 1923, Sikorsky formed the Sikorsky Manufacturing Company in Roosevelt, New York.[36] He was helped by several former Russian military officers. Among Sikorsky's chief supporters was composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, who introduced himself by writing a check for US$5,000 (approximately $61,000 in 2007).[37] Although his prototype was damaged in its first test flight, Sikorsky persuaded his reluctant backers to invest another $2,500. With the additional funds, he produced the S-29, one of the first twin-engine aircraft in America, with a capacity for 14 passengers and a speed of 115 mph.[38] The performance of the S-29, slow compared to military aircraft of 1918, proved to be a "make or break" moment for Sikorsky's funding."