Who was the first person to invent a helicopter and fly it?

The first successful helicopter was developed by Paul Cornu, a French engineer, who achieved a brief flight in 1907 with his twin-rotor design. However, it was Igor Sikorsky, an American aviation pioneer, who is often credited with creating the first practical helicopter, the VS-300, which made its first successful flight in 1939. Sikorsky's innovations laid the groundwork for modern helicopter design and technology.