The Kentucky Army National Guard celebrated 20 years of service by the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Saturday with a reminder that the rotary-wing aircraft has roots going back 2,800 years.
"Aviation is one of man's oldest dreams," said Sergei Sikorsky, son of helicopter inventor Igor Sikorsky. "The concept of the helicopter was accurately described in Chinese during 800 B.C. and Marco Polo brought it back to Europe."
Sergei Sikorksy spoke at a ceremony held at the Boone National Guard Center.
He said a hot air balloon was used for man's first flight, but in 1860 pioneers began to sketch airplanes and several people attempted to create a flying machine.
Success came for aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright on Dec. 17, 1903, when they had their first successful flight.