H.Nowarra, G.Duval Russian Civil and Military Aircraft 1884-1969

As previously mentioned, Igor Sikorski had abandoned his early ideas for a helicopter and turned to fixed-wing design, in co-operation with two other students of the Kiev Polytechnic Institute, Bylinkin and Jordan. This team produced two biplanes, the BJS 1 and 2, the first powered by a 15 h.p. Anzani engine, a larger 25 h.p. Anzani being installed in the second. The BJS 1, a pusher biplane, was hopelessly under-powered, and when an attempt was made to fly it in May, 1910, it would not rise more than a few inches above the ground. With remarkable speed, it was dismantled, the mainplanes being built on to the next version, the BJS 2, which was a tractor biplane with the tailplane mounted on booms, twin fins and rudders, and balanced ailerons, the pilot sitting over the lower wing trailing edge.

A.Durkota, T.Darcey, V.Kulikov The Imperial Russian Air Service (Flying Machines)

Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky

Sikorsky S-1

  In early 1910 a group of students at the Kiev Polytechnical Institute formed a small society to build aircraft. The prime organizer was Igor Sikorsky, who was instrumental in building two hangars on a field in Kurenevka, a suburb of Kiev. The next two aircraft were the collective efforts of F.I. Bylinkin, V.V. Iordan, and Igor Sikorsky. Since the first two aircraft were "jointly designed," it was decided to call them the B.I.S.-1 and B.I.S.-2, with initials in alphabetical order. The B.I.S. designation was dropped in a few months, with the third design carrying an "S."
  The S-1 was a two-bay biplane powered by a 15hp Anzani engine and mounted with a pusher propeller. The pilot's seat was situated on the leading edge of the lower wing. Ailerons were attached to the center of the rear struts. Control of the elevator was carried out by means of a handle located on the right side of the pilot's seat, and control of the ailerons by means of a handle on the left side.
  The S-1 was completed in April 1910, and all three designers learned to taxi in it. Unfortunately, the S-1 did not fly because the engine power was insufficient. After an estimated three weeks of testing, the S-1 was rebuilt into the S-2.



Sikorsky Aircraft Data
Model: S-1 S-2 S-3 S-4 S-5 S-6 S-6A
Year: 1910 1910 1910 1910 1911 1911 1912
Engine(s) type: 15hp Anzani 25hp Anzani 35hp Anzani 50hp Anzani 50hp Argus 100hp Argus 100hp Argus
Length, m: 8 8 8 8 8.5 8.8 9.2
Wing Span; m: top/bottom 8 8 8 8 12/9 11.8 14.5/11.7
Wing Area, m2: 24 24 24 24 33 35.4 39
Wt. empty, kg: 180 190 220 260 320 650 650
Wt. fuel/oil, kg: 10 10 20 30 40 60 60
Wt. load, kg: 70 70 90 100 120 340 450
Wt. flying, kg: 250 260 310 360 440 990 1100
Wingload, kg/m2: 10.4 10.8 13 12.9 13.3 24 23
Powerload, kg/hp: 16 10.2 8.9 7.2 8.8 8.5 9