The sculptural composition, dedicated to Kyiv polytechnics - the first conquerors of the sky, was opened on August 22 in the center of the Aviation Pioneers Square.
This park appeared in KPI quite recently, but it has already become one of the highlights of the university campus. Despite the fact that you shouldn't look for shade in it yet, because the trees and bushes here are very young, it is one of those places that attracts both polytechnics and university visitors. The park got its name not by chance: it was on this very spot that KPI students and teachers, members of the Aeronautical Section of the Mechanical Club, worked on making their first airplanes in the institute's automotive and aviation workshops in the early twentieth century. That's why the legendary An-2 airplane is installed here; the building of the Department of Aviation and Astronautics of the State Polytechnic Museum of the University and monuments to prominent Kyiv Polytechnic graduates - aircraft designers Ihor Sikorsky, whose name is immortalized in the university's name, and Konstantin Kalinin - are located nearby; a Mi-2 helicopter and a Yak-40 airplane seem to be waiting for the takeoff command. In fact, the square is not only a place of recreation, but also a continuation of the open-air museum exhibition.
The new monument compositional crowns the planning and spatial organization of this corner of the university campus, so at the opening ceremony, KPI Rector, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Mykhailo Zgurovsky spoke not only about it, but also about the entire square: "Today, one of the most significant events is taking place at our university: we are opening the Aviation Pioneers Park in connection with the final stage of its creation - the construction of an art object dedicated to the first conquerors of the sky - Kyiv Polytechnics, who wrote the first pages in the history of aviation in Ukraine and throughout Eastern Europe."
The author of the monument is the creator of several other art objects on the territory of KPI, Honored Artist of Ukraine Anatoliy Valiyev. "The sculpture is a generalized image of students of the early twentieth century who were fond of aviation and implemented their first designs here, and in fact became pioneers of Ukrainian aircraft construction," he explained his idea to the ceremony participants. "The clothes and accessories of that time are reproduced here, but the student uniform cannot limit the movements of a young person and his initiative, his dynamics and aspirations to reach the sky... The main idea behind this monument is that if young people have dreams, they can make them come true. All they have to do is work hard and hard."
The monument to the first aviators of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute was erected on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the university with the support of the well-known company Ajax Systems. Its founder, KPI alumnus Oleksandr Konotopskyi, spoke at the opening ceremony. In particular, he said: "We cannot forget the history of the university. But at the same time, we are focused on making sure that what is happening now becomes something that people of the next generations will be proud of. Today, the work of aviators and designers is very important. Engineers make drones, whose work is extremely necessary. That is why this monument is really symbolic, as it perpetuates the memory of their glorious predecessors... We came to the university because we were taught here, and we want new engineers to be taught here. And this continuity will not be limited to this monument. We will continue to participate in its provision as much as possible and necessary for the team - in all areas where we can strengthen the KPI engineering school."
It was here that the history of world aviation was born and more than 100 years ago Sikorsky, Korolev, and Kalinin tested the first aircraft.
Now this historic place is home to the Aviation Pioneers' Square and a sculpture in honor of those who stood at the origins of modern Ukrainian aircraft construction.