Paul, William (Bill), and Ernest Schweizer were three brothers who started building gliders in 1930.
Over their nearly 70 years, they enabled creation of various flying machines; from gliders to crop dusters to helicopters, while contributing to the aircraft industry as a whole, and the Southern Tier of New York in particular.
According to a recent editorial in the Elmira Star-Gazette, when it came time to sell the company, the brothers wanted to find a buyer who respected their values and their folks, and chose the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (a UTC subsidiary) in Connecticut.
Soaring Hall of Fame;[2] Paul and Ernest in its second year, 1955 (along with the Wright Brothers), and later William in 1984.
Paul and Ernest also won the 1953 Warren E. Eaton Memorial Trophy, considered Soaring Society of America's highest award.