Make: Online : Homebrewed helicopter

Homebrewed helicopter

AFP has a story about a 24-year-old Nigerian physics undergrad who builds backyard helicopters out of car and bike parts (and a crashed commercial plane).

The chopper... is made from scrap aluminium that Abdullahi bought with the money he makes from computer and mobile phone repairs, and a donation from his father, who teaches at Kano's Bayero university.

It is powered by a second-hand 133 horsepower Honda Civic car engine and kitted out with seats from an old Toyota saloon car. Its other parts come from the carcass of a Boeing 747 which crashed near Kano some years ago.

Home-made helicopters hit northern Nigeria [via] - Link

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Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: rich.thomas on October 23, 2007 at 4:48 PM

I think I got an email from this guy.

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Posted by: aolshove on October 23, 2007 at 5:08 PM

RIP Abdullahi 1983-2007.

A bit melodramatic perhaps, but I just personally don't think that a helicopter is something you want to "poor-boy".

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Posted by: volkemon on October 23, 2007 at 5:53 PM

@rich.thomas- Bwahahahahaha!!!

Hey...for workin where he is and what he got.....A+ MAKEr!!!! No, I DONT want a ride!

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Posted by: JPMartineau on October 24, 2007 at 8:16 AM

This is incredible. Building a working helicopter from the ground up is a very complex feat. To do it with no specialized resources is definitely even more astounding.

This said, I wouldn't ride in it, I must agree with aolshove.

and rich.thomas, that comment is inappropriate. I live in Montreal and we take great pride in our rich telemarketing/online fraud heritage. Nigeria has nothing on us. ;)

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Posted by: JoshCube on October 24, 2007 at 2:41 PM

My uncle built a heli from a mail order kit once. He built it, flew it about 15 feet off the ground before nearly pooping his pants, and never even turned it on again. I think it's still rotting in his garage after more than 20 years.

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Posted by: mastershake916 on October 24, 2007 at 4:29 PM

Video or it didn't happen.

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Posted by: Bosso63 on October 25, 2007 at 8:00 PM

If that thing can go up and come back down in one piece, he should get an offer of an green card and a free ticket to the US.

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Posted by: jordz no 21 on March 4, 2008 at 2:48 AM

1 wonder how heavy that thing is well hellichper ( it looks very small)

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