Aviation Quote by Igor Sikorsky
“This machine was a failure to the extent that it could not fly. In other respects it was a very important and necessary stepping stone.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Reflecting on Early Helicopter Development, 1940
A failed prototype still serves as a crucial stepping stone for future breakthroughs.
In simple terms: Failure can be a vital step forward.
Key Takeaway
Learn from each setback.
Themes
innovation
failure
progress
Mood
determined
analytical
Type
technical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- product development
- R&D
- learning from mistakes
Key Concepts
engineering
history
Questions to Reflect On
- What did the failure teach you?
- How can you turn setbacks into opportunities?
A Different Perspective
Not every failure leads to success.
![“It is apparent to me that the possibilities of the aeroplane, which two or three years ago were thought to hold the solution to the [flying machine] problem, have been exhausted, and that we must turn elsewhere.” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2d5/thomas-a-edison-866_aeroplanes_it-is-apparent-to-me-that-the-possibilit_1009237.jpg)
![“One: There is a low limit of weight [of about] 50 pounds beyond which it is impossible for an animal to fly. Two: The animal machine is far more effective than any we can hope to make. Three: The weight of any machine constructed for flying, including fuel and engineer, cannot be less than three…” quote by Joseph LeConte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/296/joseph-leconte-73855_animal_one-there-is-a-low-limit-of-weight-of-ab_585346.jpg)
![“At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation.” quote by Igor Sikorsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/651/igor-sikorsky-30352_aviation_at-that-time-1909-the-chief-engineer-was_964797.jpg)
