Pictures Of A Made In
Nigeria Helicopter by a 24-year-old physics undergraduate…
Most of us
are happy to try a spot of DIY but there aren't many who would take on the
challenge of building their own aircraft.
These
unusual looking planes are the creations of amateur engineers in Africa who
have made their own jets - often just using scrap metal, a book guide and a lot
of improvisation.
Despite
their lack of material, training and money, these determined
aviation-enthusiasts have managed to build their own machines.
Creative:
Mubarak Muhammad Abdullahi, a 24-year-old physics undergraduate in northern
Nigeria, used old cars and motorbikes to build his own helicopter in his back
garden
Gabriel
Nderitu's aircraft, which he built in his front yard in Kenya, is powered by an
engine which was once used to mill animal feed.
He sourced
aluminum bars, bolts and plastic sheeting to make the frame - sticking it all
together with some gum.
While
Somaliland trio Mohamed Abdi Barkadle, Saed Abdi Jide and Abdi Farah Lidan,
built a helicopter from an old van engine and scrap metal with no financial
support in 2010.
They'd hoped
to use the plane to fight fires but it is unclear whether their machine ever
made it off the ground.
Farmhand
Onesmus Mwangi managed to build a 25-kilogramme helicopter from scrap material
he salvaged from around his village in Magomano.
According to
the BBC, the 20-year-old dropped out of school at the age of 12 and has no
training in aviation.
Starting
out: Aminu Abubakar can be seen welding the skeleton of a his helicopter out of
scrap metal in 2007
Opportunities:
The homemade plane, which Abdullahi completed in 2007, earned him a scholarship
to study aircraft maintenance in the UK
But,
incredibly, Mwangi has managed to build a plane in just seven months, working
around his full-time farming job.
It is not
known whether it can actually fly - but Mwangi says he has managed to get it a
full feet off the ground.
Mwangi said:
'I built the helicopter to showcase my talent, hoping that people would invest
in me and give me an opportunity to build bigger and better things'.
But shortly
after Mwangi unveiled his helicopter earlier this year, his employer fired him
claiming the media attention was interfering with his work while police have
banned him from flying it, claiming it is a security risk.
Emeka
Okafor, curator of Maker Faire Africa - an annual pan-African event that
showcases ingenuity and innovation, says aeronautical innovators in the
developing world have fewer resources to bring their creations to life but just
as much potential.
Innovation:
It may look like a car, but Abdullahi, pictured sitting in the front seat, used
old car parts to make his own helicopter
Back to basics:
Kenyan Gabriel Nderitu built this plane out of aluminum bars, bolts and plastic
sheeting he salvaged before sticking it all together
He said: 'In
any society, there’s always a subset of individuals with an interest in
tinkering, fabricating, mimicking, inventing.
'At the very
fundamental level, what drives them is curiosity. On top of that, it’s problem
solving, or addressing gaps they see in society.'
But there
are a few success stories - 24-year-old
physics student Nigerian Mubarak Muhammed Abdullahi being one of them.
He spent
nearly a year building a 12-metre (39ft) long helicopter out of spare parts
sourced from old cars, motorcycles, and even a crashed Boeing 747. He used
money he saved from repairing cell phones and computers.
His bright
yellow contraption with a salvaged Honda Civic engine was completed in 2007 and
could actually reach heights of seven ft. His invention helped secure him a
scholarship to study aircraft maintenance in the UK.
Growing
number of inventors: Nderitu used an engine which once milled animal feed to
power his aircraft
Pushing the
boundaries: The curator of Maker Faire Africa, Emeka Okafor, says Africa has
just as much aeronautical talent but lacks the resources to support it
.png)
.png)
.png)
