Born: Russia
Primarily active in: Russia

1909-1970

Mikhail Mil was a well-known Soviet helicopter designer and founder of Mil Helicopters.

Born in Irkutsk, Russia, Mil discovered his love for aviation as a young boy. When he completed secondary school, he moved to the Siberian Technological Institute in Tomsk, hoping to further study aviation. He became disatisfied with his education here midway, which led him to Don Polytechnical Institute where he received specialized training in aviation.

After he graduated, Mil found work at the Central Aero-Hydrodynamic Institute at Zhukovsky. There he quickly proved himself an expert in the aerodynamics of gyros and helicopters. In 1947, after 18 years there, he started Mil Helicopters, and within three years, he put the first Mi-1 helicopter into production. Over the next 20 years, Mil would oversee the production of seven helicopters, until his death in 1970. His impact on Russian aviation was so pronounced, they named the helicopter plant in Moscow after him, where they continue to produce Mil helicopters to this day.